{"id":54829,"date":"2026-01-26T00:33:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T23:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/?page_id=54829"},"modified":"2026-08-17T16:24:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T14:24:38","slug":"robert-l-crippen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/de\/robert-l-crippen\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert L. Crippen"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"54829\" class=\"elementor elementor-54829\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-slcs9f75 slc-breadcrumb-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"slcs9f75\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-slcc08f2 sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"slcc08f2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-slcb86ca sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"slcb86ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"slc-menu-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a class=\"slc-crumb slc-crumb--home\" href=\"\/de\/\" aria-label=\"Go to Home\"><svg class=\"slc-home-svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 10.8 12 3.9l8.5 6.9\"><\/path><path d=\"M5.8 9.7v9.5h12.4V9.7\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.5 19.2v-5.8h5v5.8\"><\/path><\/svg><span>Startseite<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"slc-sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"m6 3.5 4.5 4.5L6 12.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/li><li><span class=\"slc-crumb slc-crumb--group\">Die Eroberung des Weltraums<\/span><\/li><li class=\"slc-sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"m6 3.5 4.5 4.5L6 12.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/li><li><a class=\"slc-crumb slc-crumb--link\" href=\"\/de\/humans-in-space\/\">Menschen im Weltraum<\/a><\/li><li class=\"slc-sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"m6 3.5 4.5 4.5L6 12.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/li><li><span class=\"slc-crumb slc-crumb--current\" aria-current=\"page\">Robert L. Crippen<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><style>\n.slc-breadcrumb-section,\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section{display:block!important;grid-column:1\/-1!important;counter-increment:none!important;width:100%!important;max-width:none!important;min-height:0!important;margin:0 auto!important;padding:0!important;overflow:visible!important;border:0!important;border-radius:0!important;background:transparent!important;box-shadow:none!important;transform:none!important}\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section:before,\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section:after,\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section > .elementor-container > .elementor-column:before,\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section > .elementor-container > .elementor-column:after{display:none!important;content:none!important}\nbody .elementor > .elementor-top-section.slc-breadcrumb-section > 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.elementor-widget-image img{height:clamp(240px,72vw,390px)!important}body.page-id-54829 .slc-menu-breadcrumbs{margin-top:18px!important;margin-bottom:18px!important}}\n<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a1bc47 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"7a1bc47\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-012dffe sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"012dffe\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10fac45 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"10fac45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-54823\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen.jpg 480w, https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen-410x231.jpg 410w, https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/crippen-270x152.jpg 270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 480px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-828741c sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"828741c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97c3249 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"97c3249\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">Robert L. Crippen is an American astronaut who served as the pilot for the historic first mission of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-1) in April 1981. Together with Commander John Young, he performed the first manned orbital flight without prior unmanned testing. Crippen was also the commander of three subsequent shuttle missions (STS-7, 41-C, 41-G).<\/p><h3 data-path-to-node=\"5\">Key Information about Robert Crippen and the Columbia Mission:<\/h3><ul data-path-to-node=\"6\"><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Role in STS-1:<\/b> He piloted Columbia during its debut flight, operating the computers, electrical systems, and cargo bay doors.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">STS-1 Mission:<\/b> The flight lasted from April 12 to 14, 1981, and the shuttle landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Experience:<\/b> He spent a total of over 565 hours in space.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Career:<\/b> After concluding his astronaut career, he served as the Director of the Kennedy Space Center (1992\u20131995).<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p data-path-to-node=\"7\">Crippen participated in key tests, including the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) of the shuttle.<\/p><h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\">Astronaut Career<\/h3><ul data-path-to-node=\"10\"><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1966<\/b> \u2013 On June 17, he became one of five experimental pilots selected for the Air Force MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) program. In this second group of pilots qualified for this program, later astronauts of the Space Shuttle program were also found: Karol Bobko, Charles Fullerton, Henry Hartsfield, and Robert Overmyer. The team of astronauts prepared for the MOL program was disbanded in August 1969.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1969<\/b> \u2013 On August 13, he was accepted into the 7th group of NASA astronauts (NASA-7) and began basic training.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1972<\/b> \u2013 He commanded a three-person team that conducted the SMETA experiment (<i data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"77\">Skylab Medical Experiments Altitude Test<\/i>), consisting of a 56-day simulation of a planned flight to the Skylab space station. In addition to Crippen, Karol Bobko and William E. Thornton also participated. The test allowed for the development of certain equipment elements, the establishment of crew work methodology, and the acquisition of several significant medical data points.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1973\u20131975<\/b> \u2013 He was a member of the ground support crews for all three manned missions to the Skylab station. He worked in a similar capacity in July 1975 during the Soviet-American ASTP mission (<i data-path-to-node=\"10,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"195\">Apollo-Soyuz Test Project<\/i>).<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,4,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1978<\/b> \u2013 On March 17, he was named the pilot of the STS-1 experimental flight, the first manned mission of the Space Shuttle program.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,5,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1981\u20131984<\/b> \u2013 He participated in four spaceflights: as the pilot in STS-1 (April 12\u201314, 1981) and as the commander of missions STS-7 (June 18\u201324, 1983), STS-41-C (April 6\u201313, 1984), and STS-41-G (October 5\u201313, 1984).<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,6,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,6,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1986\u20131989<\/b> \u2013 He was intended to be the commander of mission STS-62-A planned for the summer of 1986, but after the Challenger disaster, the flight was canceled. Shortly thereafter, he became the Deputy Director of Shuttle Operations at NASA&#8217;s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). He was responsible for preparing them for flight and transporting shuttles from Edwards Air Force Base in California to KSC.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,7,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1990\u20131992<\/b> \u2013 He served as the Director of the Space Shuttle Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. On December 31, 1991, he left the NASA astronaut corps.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"10,8,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,8,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1992\u20131995<\/b> \u2013 He was the Director of KSC. He was responsible for the execution of the shuttle flight program.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fd836ad elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"fd836ad\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4c85545 sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"4c85545\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c116b6e sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-trx_sc_button\" data-id=\"c116b6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"trx_sc_button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div\tclass=\"sc_item_button sc_button_wrap\" ><a href=\"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/de\/humans-in-space\/\" class=\"sc_button sc_button_default sc_button_size_normal sc_button_with_icon sc_button_icon_left\" ><span class=\"sc_button_icon\"><span class=\"icon-reply\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"sc_button_text\"><span class=\"sc_button_title\">Menschen im Weltraum<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Robert L. Crippen is an American astronaut who served as the pilot for the historic first mission of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-1) in April 1981. Together with Commander John&hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-54829","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Robert L. Crippen - Space Lovers Club<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spaceloversclub.com\/de\/robert-l-crippen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"de_DE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Robert L. 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