Born 5th of March 1935 in Australia, Physicist Dr. Philip Chapman was NASA’s first Australian-born astronaut that despite never getting to orbit, had an incredible life of Antarctic exploration, Physics, fast jet-training flying and science research.
Selected as a Scientist Astronaut by NASA (NASA’s Group 6) in August 1967 his time at NASA comprised initial academic training followed by a 53-week course in flight training at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. Whilst he was involved in preparations for lunar missions unfortunately due to the lack of spaceflight opportunities for scientist-astronauts in the 1967 intake he left NASA in July 1972.
5MAR1935-5APR2021
More on his life:
See also:
Read the Chapter from the Book “Shattered Dreams – The Lost and Canceled Space Missions” by Colin Burgess ‘Born beneath the Southern Cross’
First Aussie: Dr. Philip Chapman, Apollo’s Astronaut from “Down Under,” Part One
First Aussie: Dr. Philip Chapman, Apollo’s Astronaut from “Down Under,” Part Two
First Aussie: Dr. Philip Chapman, Apollo’s Astronaut from “Down Under,” Part Three
#AustralianAstronauts #AustralianAstronaut
I gave a talk “Why Would Australia need Astronauts?” at the Australian Space Research Conference
Educating Space 