William A. Pailes

Infobox Astronaut
name =William Arthur Pailes


type =USAF Astronaut
status =Retired
nationality =American
date_birth =June 26, 1952
place_birth =Hackensack, New Jersey
occupation =Computer Scientist
rank =Major, USAF
selection =1982 USAF Group
time =4d 01h 44 m
mission =STS-51-J
insignia =|

William Arthur Pailes (Major, USAF) (born June 26, 1952) was a USAF astronaut in the Manned Spaceflight Engineer Program during the mid-1980s. He served as a Payload Specialist on STS-51-J "Atlantis" (October 3-7, 1985).

Personal

Pailes was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, but considers Kinnelon, New Jersey, to be his hometown. He is married and is a former deacon and treasurer of his church in El Segundo, California. He now teaches the AFJROTC Program in Corsicana, TX. He is the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.

Education

* 1970: Graduated from Kinnelon High School, Kinnelon, New Jersey
* 1974: Received a bachelor of science degree in computer science, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
* 1974-1975: Attended pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona; trained as a HC-130 rescue pilot in the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service
* 1978: Attended Squadron Officer School
* 1981: Received a master of science degree in computer science, Texas A&M University

Experience

December 1975 to July 1980 McClellan Air Force Base, California, and Royal Air Force Base, Woodbridge, England. HC-130 pilot in Air Force Rescue.

January 1982 to December 1982 Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Manager, mini-computer operating systems software development.

January 1983 to 1990s USAF Manned Spaceflight Engineering Program, Los Angeles Air Force Station, California. Manned Spaceflight Engineer.

August 2002 to present, instructor of AFJROTC Program, Corsicana, Texas. JROTC Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.

paceflight experience

Pailes flew as a payload specialist on STS-51-J "Atlantis" (October 3-7, 1985) which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. STS-51-J was the second Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission. It was also the maiden voyage of the "Atlantis" orbiter. Pailes traveled over 1.6 million miles in 98 Earth orbits and logged more than 97 hours in space. [http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/pailes-wa.html]

External links

* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/pailes_william.htm Spacefacts biography of William A. Pailes]