Donald E. Williams
Donald Edward Williams was an American naval officer, aviator, test pilot, mechanical engineer, and NASA astronaut. That professional background preceded Williams' participation in the mission's sponsoring organization's human-spaceflight program.
- Born
- February 13, 1942
- Died
- February 23, 2016
- Birthplace
- Lafayette, Indiana,United States
Flights
2
Spacewalks
0
EVA time
N/A
In space
11 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes
Bio
STS-51-D launched on April 12, 1985 aboard STS-51-D flight stack, with Williams serving as Pilot. STS-34 launched on October 18, 1989 aboard STS-34 flight stack, with Williams serving as .
The Space Shuttle missions joined launch and entry operations with payload deployment, laboratory work, satellite servicing, or station assembly, depending on the flight. Donald E. Williams therefore has 2 completed spaceflights; backup, training, canceled, and future assignments are excluded from that total. The flight converted that professional background into direct experience of launch, weightlessness, Earth viewing, , and recovery.