Stephen Thorne (astronaut)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Douglas Thorne (1953–1986) was an American
Naval officer and a NASA
astronaut
candidate.
He was born on February 11, 1953, in Frankfurt
, Germany
, and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1975. He was a Navy fighter pilot from 1976 until he became a test pilot in 1981.
He was accepted for NASA astronaut training in June 1985, but died in an airplane accident where he was a passenger on May 24, 1986.
He was survived by his wife, Sue. His interests included baseball, running, reading, and general aviation.
, Patuxent River, Maryland, flying mostly ordnance and weapons systems tests in the F-4 and A-7 Corsair II. He completed F-18 Hornet transition training in October 1984 and joined Strike Fighter Squadron 132 (VFA-132) aboard until departing for NASA.
He accumulated over 2,500 hours and 200 carrier landings in approximately 30 different types of aircraft.
Thorne was killed in an aircraft accident, in which he was a passenger, on May 24, 1986.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Naval officer and a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
candidate.
He was born on February 11, 1953, in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1975. He was a Navy fighter pilot from 1976 until he became a test pilot in 1981.
He was accepted for NASA astronaut training in June 1985, but died in an airplane accident where he was a passenger on May 24, 1986.
He was survived by his wife, Sue. His interests included baseball, running, reading, and general aviation.
Education
He graduated from T.L. Hanna High School, Anderson, South Carolina, in 1971 and received a bachelor of science degree in systems engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1975.Organizations
- Member of the Society of Experimental Test PilotsSociety of Experimental Test PilotsThe Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in the professional...
. - Life member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association.
Military career
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, Thorne entered flight training and received his wings in December 1976. Following training in the F-4 Phantom, he joined Fighter Squadron 21 (VF-21) and deployed to the Western Pacific aboard the . After training at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981, Thorne spent the next two years at Strike Aircraft Test at the Naval Air Test CenterNaval Air Station Patuxent River
"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River.Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States Naval Air Station located in St. Mary's County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to the U.S...
, Patuxent River, Maryland, flying mostly ordnance and weapons systems tests in the F-4 and A-7 Corsair II. He completed F-18 Hornet transition training in October 1984 and joined Strike Fighter Squadron 132 (VFA-132) aboard until departing for NASA.
He accumulated over 2,500 hours and 200 carrier landings in approximately 30 different types of aircraft.
Astronaut experience
Thorne was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1985 and in August, commenced a one-year training and evaluation program to qualify him for subsequent assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flights.Thorne was killed in an aircraft accident, in which he was a passenger, on May 24, 1986.