Francis G. Neubeck

Infobox Astronaut


name =Francis G. Neubeck
type =USAF Astronaut
status =Retired
nationality =American
date_birth =April 11, 1932
place_birth =Washington, D.C.
occupation =Test Pilot
selection =1965 USAF MOL Group
time =
mission =None
insignia =|

Francis Gregory Neubeck (born April 11, 1932) is a retired colonel in the United States Air Force and a former USAF astronaut. Although he trained for the USAF Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.cite web | url = http://www.losangeles.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-060912-028.pdf | title = Space and Missile Systems Center History | accessdate =2008-10-11 | date = 2006-09-12 | publisher = USAF | pages = pp. 60-62 | format = PDF]

Neubeck was born in Washington, D.C. and graduated in 1955 from the United States Naval Academy. Although a USNA graduate, he chose to begin his career in the United States Air Force. In 1972, he earned a master's degree in business administration from Auburn University in Alabama.cite web | url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/prof-05.html | title = Astrospies Neubeck biography | accessdate =2008-10-11 | year = 2007 | month = December | work = NOVA |publisher=PBS]

At the start of his USAF career, Neubeck worked on the development of weapons systems and as a flight instructor.cite book |last=Shayler | first= David J. | authorlink= |title=Gemini: Steps to the Moon |page = p. 418 | publisher= Springer Press | year=2001 | id=ISBN 9781852334055 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=c8PpO58QwowC |accessdate=2008-10-11] He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in class 60C, Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) Class III, and MOL.cite book |last= |first= |title=USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond |publisher=Privately Published |year=1994 |pages=p. 247] In 1965, he was selected as one of the first astronauts to the Air Force's classified Manned Orbital Laboratory.cite web | url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/profiles.html | title = Secret Astronauts | accessdate =2008-10-11 | year = 2007 | month = December | work = NOVA |publisher=PBS] The MOL program, canceled in 1969 before sending any astronauts into space, was to man a military space station with Air Force astronauts using a modified Gemini spacecraft.cite web | url = http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/found_mol_spacesuits.html | title = Suits for Space Spies | accessdate = 2008-10-10 | last = Nutter | first = Ashley | date = 2008-06-02 | publisher = NASA] The history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called "Astrospies" which aired February 12, 2008.cite web | url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/ | title = Astrospies | accessdate =2008-10-10 | year = 2007 | month = December | work = NOVA |publisher=PBS]

After the MOL program cancellation, Neubeck continued his USAF career including a combat tour in south-east Asia.. He also served as vice commander at the Tactical Air Warfare Center at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before retiring from the Air Force in 1986. Neubeck worked in the aerospace industry, became an author, and ran for public office. In 1986, he became the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's first congressional district but was not elected. As of 2007, Neubeck resides in Florida.

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