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Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart

Russell L. Schweickart was chosen in NASA’s third astronaut group in October 1963. In March 1969, he flew on Apollo 9, logging 241 hours in space, and later played important roles in NASA’s Skylab program.

Quick Facts

Russell L. Schweickart was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 9.

Russell L. Schweickart was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 9.

During a 46-minute EVA during Apollo 9, Schweickart tested the portable life support backpack that was subsequently used by astronauts on the lunar surface.

During a 46-minute EVA during Apollo 9, Schweickart tested the portable life support backpack that was subsequently used by astronauts on the lunar surface.

Schweickart was the backup commander for the Skylab 2 mission, and helped develop the hardware and procedures needed to perform Skylab’s in-flight repairs.

Schweickart was the backup commander for the Skylab 2 mission, and helped develop the hardware and procedures needed to perform Skylab's in-flight repairs.

Schweickart co-founded the B612 Foundation, a
nonprofit private foundation that champions the development and testing of a spaceflight concept to protect the Earth from future asteroid impacts.

Schweickart co-founded the B612 Foundation, a<br>nonprofit private foundation that champions the development and testing of a spaceflight concept to protect the Earth from future asteroid impacts.

S71-51265 (1971) — Astronaut Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart Jr.
NASA

Schweickart, geologist Uel Clanton, Michael Collins, and Roger B. Chaffee during geology training near Bend, Oregon. — Schweickart, geologist Uel Clanton, Michael Collins, and Roger B. Chaffee during geology training near Bend, Oregon.
NASA

Astronaut Rusty Schweickart talks at a press conference in January 1969 — S69-17615 (25 Jan. 1969) — Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot of the Apollo 9 prime crew, participates in a press conference at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation. Grumman is the contractor to NASA for the Lunar Module. Schweickart is holding a model of a docked Lunar Module/Command and Service Modules. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight.
NASA

S68-55391 (11 Dec. 1968) — Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/Saturn 504) space mission, is seen inside Chamber “A,” Space Environment Simulation Laboratory, Building 32, participating in dry run activity in preparation for extravehicular activity which is scheduled in Chamber “A.” The purpose of the scheduled training is to familiarize the crewmen with the operation of EVA equipment in a simulated space environment. In addition, metabolic and workload profiles will be simulated on each crewman. Astronauts Schweickart and Alan L. Bean, backup lunar module pilot, are scheduled to receive thermal-vacuum training simulating Earth-orbital EVA.
NASA

Biography

Russell L. Schweickart

Russell L. Schweickart was chosen as a NASA astronaut in October 1963. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 9, logging 241 hours in space from March 3-13, 1969.

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Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart.

Portrait of Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart.

NASA

All Crewed Missions

Apollo 9

Apollo 9 was an Earth-orbital engineering test of the first crewed lunar module, or LM.

Learn More About Apollo 9

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Apollo 9: ‘A Hell of a Ride’

With Apollo 9, we tested the capabilities of our Moon landing spacecraft in Earth’s orbit. Commander James McDivitt, Command Module Pilot David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart performed systems checks and gathered data. The Lunar Module and the Command Module separated by nearly 100 miles and an engine burn check brought them back together. A challenging rendezvous and docking proved the abilities of the hardware. This historic mission launched on March 3, 1969 as an engineering mission and paved the way for future Apollo missions.

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Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart

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Oral History Interviews

Russell Schweickart participated in oral history interviews with NASA’s History Office in October 1999 and March 2000. In these interviews he discussed his early life, his days with the Apollo program, his efforts with Skylab, and his other roles within America’s space program.

1 min read

Fifty-five years ago today, NASA astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart splashed down 4.5 nautical…

Image Article

1 min read

Astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot for the Apollo 9 Earth-orbital mission, stands in the command module’s open hatch…

Image Article

7 min read

The third day in space for the Apollo 9 crew of Commander James A. McDivitt, Command Module Pilot David R.…

March 6, 2019

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