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MICHAEL J. SMITH
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Born April 30, 1945 in
Beaufort, North Carolina. Mike received a bachelor’s degree in
Naval Science from the United States Naval Academy and a
master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval
Postgraduate School. Smith and his wife Jane Jarrell Smith, have
three children, Scott, Allison and Erin. |
Captain Smith served in
Vietnam as a pilot in an attack squadron aboard U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. He
became a Navy test pilot and was selected as an astronaut in 1980. He
was chosen to be the pilot of Challenger STS 51-L, which was destroyed
one minute and 13 seconds after its launch. He was promoted posthumously
to the rank of Navy Captain and had a chair named in his honor at the
U.S. Navy Postgraduate School.
Michael J. Smith made the ultimate sacrifice and lost his life in
service to the nation and the space program on January 28, 1986 at 40
years of age.
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