Astronaut Profile
James McDivitt
Command Pilot
James McDivitt commanded Gemini 4, during which Ed White performed the first American spacewalk, and later commanded Apollo 9, the first crewed test flight of the Lunar Module.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Command Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
James McDivitt was a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot selected in NASA's second group of astronauts. He commanded Gemini 4 in June 1965, a four-day flight remembered for Ed White's historic spacewalk. McDivitt later commanded Apollo 9 in March 1969, an Earth-orbit mission that put the Lunar Module through its first crewed test, rehearsing the rendezvous and docking maneuvers Apollo 11 would need to land on the Moon just four months later.
Astronaut Details
Born
June 10, 1929
Died
October 13, 2022
Birthplace
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Role
Command Pilot
Program
Gemini
Time in Space
14 days, 2 hours, 56 minutes
Missions
Gemini 4, Apollo 9
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor