Astronaut Profile
Alfred M. Worden
Command Module Pilot
Alfred Worden orbited the Moon alone for three days during Apollo 15, then stepped outside his spacecraft in deep space to perform the first EVA ever conducted beyond Earth orbit.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Command Module Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
Alfred M. Worden was a United States Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 15 in 1971. While David Scott and James Irwin explored the lunar surface, Worden orbited the Moon alone aboard the Command Module Endeavour, conducting extensive scientific observations. On the return trip to Earth, he performed a 39-minute spacewalk to retrieve film cassettes from the spacecraft's instrument bay, the first deep-space EVA in history, and was later recognized by Guinness World Records as the most isolated human being, at times more than 2,235 miles from the nearest other person.
Astronaut Details
Born
February 7, 1932
Died
March 18, 2020
Birthplace
Jackson, Michigan, USA
Role
Command Module Pilot
Program
Apollo
Time in Space
12 days, 7 hours
EVA Time
39 minutes
Missions
Apollo 15
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- NASA Space Flight Medal