Ronald Evans: Early Life, Career, Research and Astronaut

Ronald Evans was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, electrical engineer and NASA astronaut. Ronald Evans was one of the 24 astronauts to have flown to the Moon as command module pilot on Apollo 17.

 

Additionally, Ronald Evans was one of the 12 people to have flown to the Moon without landing on it. Ronald Evans other name is Ron Evans. His nationality is American. Ronald Evans was selected as one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon.

 

In 1966, Ronald Evans was also selected as an astronaut by NASA as a part of Astronaut Group 5. In 1972, Ronald Evans then made his first and only Flight into space as Command Module Pilot aboard Apollo 17, the last crewed mission to the Moon to date, with Commander Eugene Cernan Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt.

 

Ronald Evans became the last person to orbit the Moon alone. In April 1966, Ronald Evans was selected as one of the 19 new astronauts. In 1972, Ronald Evans was named as Kansan of the Year.

 

Ronald Evans performed an extravehicular activity to retrieve film cassettes from the spacecraft’s exterior, the command and service module while returning from Flight to Earth in Apollo 17.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Life and Education

 

On November 10, 1933, Ronald Evans was in St. Francis, Kansas, U.S. Ronald Evans was the son of Clarence Elwin Evans(1911-1985) and Marie A. Evans(1913-1992). Larry Joe Evans and Jay Evans were his two siblings. Ronald Evans height was about 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m).

 

Ronald Evans was a very active student in his school days. Ronald Evans was in the Boy Scouts of America. Ronald Evans achieved second-highest rank on Life Scout in Boy Scouts of America. In 1951, Ronald Evans was graduated from Highland Park High School. It is located in Topeka, Kansas.

 

In 1956, Ronald Evans received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas. Ronald Evans also received a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1964.

 

Ronald Evans was even a Tau Beta Pi member, Society of Sigma Xi, and Sigma Nu. Before becoming an astronaut, Ronald Evans received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas, and then he joined the U.S Navy.

 

 

 

Ronald Evans received his naval aviator wings, and he served as a fighter pilot and flew combat during the Vietnam War. Ronald Evans received a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S Naval Postgraduate School.

 

Ronald Evans even achieved the rank of captain, and he was retired from the Navy in 1976.

 

Age, Height and Weight 

 

Ronald Evans was 56 years old when he died. Ronald Evans height is approximately 5 ft. 11 in. (1.80m) while his weight was 170 lb (77 kg). Evans eyes colour is brown, and his hair colour was also brown. Evans birth date was November 10.

 

Ronald Evans was blessed with two children, one girl and one boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Military Service

 

In June 1957, Ronald Evans completed his flight training, and at the University of Kansas,he receives commission as an Ensign through the Navy ROTC Program. In 1962, Ronald Evans received his aviator wings.

 

Ronald Evans was a fighter pilot with Fighter Squadron 142(VF-142), serving on two aircraft carrier cruises in the Pacific Ocean. Ronald Evans was even a combat flight instruction for the F-8 aircraft with Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124).

 

Ronald Evans was posted for sea duty in the pacific ocean from 1964 to 1966. Ronald Evans was even assigned to Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51), flying F-8 Crusader from the carrier USS Ticonderoga.

 

During this mission, Ronald Evans had completed a seven-month tour of duty flying a combat mission in the Vietnam War. In 1966, Ronald Evans was with VF-51 when he was selected as an astronaut.

 

Total flight timing of Evans was 5,100 hours, including 4,600 hours in jet aircraft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NASA Career 

 

In 1966, Ronald Evans was selected as one of the astronauts by NASA in 19 astronauts. Ronald Evans was appointed as a member of the Apollo 7 and Apollo 11 flights to the astronaut support crews. He was selected as backup Command Module Pilot for Apollo 14.

 

Evans’ only space flight was a Command Module Pilot of Apollo 17, and it was lastly scheduled to the U.S crewed mission to the Moon. Ronald Evans was accompanied by both Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt.

 

While Cernan and Schmitt landed on the Moon and started working in the Taurus-Littrow valley, Evans remained in lunar orbit on the Command Module America board. Evans completed his assigned work tasks which require visual geological observations, handheld photography of specific targets, the control of cameras as well as other highly sophisticated scientific equipment carried in service module’s SIM bay.

 

When Ronald Evans returned to the earth, he completed a one-hour and six-minute extravehicular activity, completed retrieving three camera cassettes, and completed a personal inspection of the equipment bay area within one-hour six minutes extravehicular activity.

 

Total time of 301 hours and 51 minutes in space, he spent 1 hour and 6 minutes in extravehicular activity. Ronald Evans spend six days and four hours (148 hours) in lunar orbit which is the longest time someone has spent in it, so he holds most time spent in lunar orbit.

 

Ronald Evans was appointed as backup Command Module Pilot for the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission.

 

In April 1976, Ronald Evans was retired from the U.S Navy as Captain, with 21 years of service. Even after his retirement, he still remained an active member of NASA astronauts involved in the development of NASA’s Space Shuttle program.

 

In addition to it, Evans also served as a member of the operations and training group within the Astronaut Office, responsible for launch and ascent phases of the Space Shuttle flight program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later Years

 

After retirement from NASA in March 1977 Evans pursue a career in the coal industry. He also worked with Western American Energy Corporation in Scottsdale, Arizona. Evans worked as Director of Space Systems Marketing for Sperry Flight Systems.

 

Evans daughter Jaime D. Evans was born on August 21, 1959, and his son, Jon P. Evans, was born on October 9, 1961. On April 1990, Evans died in his sleep of a heart attack in Scottsdale, Arizona. Evans body was buried at the Valley Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Ronald Evans died at the age of 56.

 

 

Awards and Honors

 

Evans was awarded many awards. In 1973, He was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. In 1970, Evans achieved Johnson Space Center Superior Achievement Award, in 1973, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

 

The Evans awards list are Navy Astronaut Wings, eight Air Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing service in 1966.

 

In 1973, Evans also received a University of Kansas Distinguished Service Citation, and in 1972 Ronald Evans was named Kansan of the Year. In 1983, Evans was even inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and On October 4 1997, the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame.

 

 

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular