Brian O'Leary

Infobox Astronaut


name =Brian Todd O'Leary
type =NASA Astronaut
status =Retired
nationality =American
date_birth =January 27, 1940
place_birth =Boston, MA
occupation =Scientist
selection =1967 NASA Group
time =
mission =None
insignia =|

Brian Todd O'Leary is an American scientist and a former NASA astronaut. He was one of the sixth group of astronauts selected by NASA in August 1967. This group of eleven were known as the scientist-astronauts, intended to train for the Apollo Applications Program -- a follow-on to the moon landings.

As the number of missions of what was to be called "Skylab" were curtailed, the scientist-astronauts had plenty of spare time on their hands. They nicknamed themselves the 'XS-11'. O'Leary himself resigned in disgust and wrote about the experience in his first book, "The Making of an Ex-Astronaut".

O'Leary was the deputy team leader for NASA Mariner 10 Venus-Mercury television science team. He has authored five other popular books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles in the field of planetary science and astronautics [O'Neill, Gerard K.; Driggers, G.; and O'Leary, B.: New Routes to Manufacturing in Space. Astronautics and Aeronautics, vol. 18, October 1980, pp. 46-51.] and was one of the more visible advocates of Gerard K. O'Neill and the L5 Society's plans for an orbiting city.

In March 2001 O'Leary appeared briefly in Fox TV's "Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon," stating that "I can't say 100% for sure whether these men walked on the moon. It is possible that NASA could have covered it up, just in order to cut corners, and to be the first to allegedly go to the moon."

O'Leary is now retired and living in Ecuador.

External links

*cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url =http://www.scouting.org/Media/FactSheets/02-558.aspx | title =Astronauts and the BSA | format = | work =Fact sheet | publisher =Boy Scouts of America | accessdate =2006-09-06

References