We have a saying at 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base... We live for #Firsts in Flight Test! As we kickoff #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm excited to share the story #EdwardsAFB's very own Maj Robert Lawrence Jr.?Though his untimely death meant he never flew above the von Kármán line, Lawrence was the #First African-American selected for any national space program. Bob Lawrence, a Test Pilot at #Edwards in the mid-1960s, graduated from TPS Class 66B and was immediately selected for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program with three of his classmates.?Not only was he a superb test pilot, he also held a PhD in physical chemistry from The Ohio State University (the only MOL pilot with a Doctorate). Colleagues described him as a "super guy"... brilliant, humble, and full of charm. At the press conference announcing the selection of the MOL Group 3 pilots, Lawrence laughed when asked "Will you have to sit in the back seat of the capsule?" He was also asked if his selection was historic for race relations in the United States.?His humble answer was characteristic: "No, I don't think so. It's another one of those things that we look forward to in civil rights -- normal progression." MOL was a classified United States Air Force & National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) project to put a series of mini-space stations in low-polar orbit to conduct advanced surveillance during the Cold War.?The stations would launch on Titan IIIs, be occupied by 2-man crews for 30 days, then return in Gemini capsules.?A test flight was successfully launched in 1966, but the program was canceled in 1969 by the incoming Nixon administration.?When the program was cancelled, the MOL astronauts transferred to NASA and became part of the Shuttle program.?Had he lived, there is little doubt Bob Lawrence would have joined them, piloting one of the first Space Shuttle missions of the 1980s. Tragically, his contributions to spaceflight ended too soon. On 8 Dec 1967, while teaching another test pilot the low-L/D landing technique that was later used for Space Shuttle landings, Lawrence lost his life in an F-104 crash at Edwards AFB. Maj Harvey Royer initiated the flare too late and the F-104 impacted the runway hard, collapsing the main gear and causing the F-104 to skid and roll down the runway.?Royer survived the ejection with major injuries; Lawrence was killed due to the delay in the rear-seat ejection sequence. Thirty years after his tragic death, on 8 Dec 1997, Robert Lawrence Jr’s name was engraved on the Space Mirror Astronaut Memorial at Kennedy Space Center.?Fifty years later, in 2017, NASA honored Maj Lawrence once more, with his former classmates and MOL astronauts sharing memories of his brilliance, courage, and character.?Former NASA Administrator and four-time shuttle astronaut Charles Bolden, who benefitted from the shuttle landing flare technique that Robert Lawrence developed, remarked at the ceremony: "He was the #First... but definitely not the Last!"
Edwards AFB Civilian/Military Support Group
非盈利组织
Lancaster,California 242 位关注者
Civic leaders supporting in service the mission and airmen of Edwards Air Force Base
关于我们
The purpose and general nature of the Edwards Air Force Base Civilian/Military Support Group is to establish a friendly, benevolent association of civic leaders and military personnel at Edwards Air Force Base, to act as a host group whenever needed, and additionally to consider an annual service project to benefit EAFB.
- 网站
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eafbcivmil.org
Edwards AFB Civilian/Military Support Group的外部链接
- 所属行业
- 非盈利组织
- 规模
- 1 人
- 总部
- Lancaster,California
- 类型
- 非营利机构
- 创立
- 1988
地点
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主要
P.O. Box 812
US,California,Lancaster,93584-0812
Edwards AFB Civilian/Military Support Group员工
动态
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"History makes us smarter, heritage makes us stronger"! For the first time, multiple generations of red tail aircraft, including the new T-7A Red Hawk, converged over Edwards for this unique formation in honor of the #TuskegeeAirmen. Their bravery and determination is the definition of modern #USAF warfighter #resilience and standards. The aircraft were at Edwards as part of the State of California's Tuskegee #Airmen Remembrance Day, held annually on March 7. This base morale event included panel discussions, static displays, a 5K run, and #STEM activities for base students. The T-7A was finishing a test mission when the F-35A and P-51D departed, allowing for a once in a lifetime photograph. ?? Christian Turner
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Did you know that one small, high-performing team leads the Air Force’s most complex flight ops, the Space Force’s newest satellite ops, and Air University’s toughest Master’s program? The secret to TPS's success? Mission command. In this video, TPS Commandant Col. James Valpiani reveals how empowerment through commander's intent fueled the Doolittle Raid’s WWII success — and remains our military’s strategic edge today. Check it out! #AFMC?
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SPOTTED: Ensuring those who serve at Remote and Isolated Installations remain supported. ???? The Department of the Air Force California Installation Commanders' Caucus, which includes 412th Test Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Douglas Wickert and Chief Master Sgt. Justin G. Stoltzfus, recently convened at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The forum provides a platform for #USAF commanders and senior enlisted leaders to discuss key state and federal issues affecting military operations, including infrastructure, cost of living, and quality of life concerns. Through collaborative discussions and strategic planning, participants worked to identify solutions that enhance mission #readiness while supporting #Airmen and their families.
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Enlisted and civilian come together. One team, one mission, we are all #Airmen! Congratulations to the latest Ellington Airman #Leadership School graduates, class 25B, for their next stage of professional development. ALS is a required course to assume the grade of Staff Sgt, and a professional development opportunity for #USAF civilians. In addition, a warm congratulations to Amanda Owens, 418th Flight Test Squadron, for being honored with the John L. Levitow Award. The Levitow Award is presented to the student that demonstrated the highest degree of excellence as a leader and scholar. #AFMC
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Soaring through the clouds before locking on target for this #FighterFriday! F-35A AF-01 has been a workhorse for nearly two decades, and remains a critical test asset at Edwards for #DoD weapons development testing. The base is also home to the Precision Impact Range Area (PIRA), which allows for efficient targeting testing in collaboration with our 412th Range Squadron. The faster our test engineers can collect and analyze data, the faster a capability lands in the hands of our warfighter. #AFMC
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Supporting our Airmen for over 35 years! ?? The Edwards Air Force Base Civilian/Military Support Group connects civic and military leaders with the common goal of partnering to support projects that improve quality of life at Edwards. Civ-Mil President and USAF #Veteran Matthew Winheim leads by example, being recently recognized as a 2025 #California educator of the year for his efforts in #STEM education. “Most of us in Civ-Mil have served in some form or another, or are one step away from a family member who has served. We understand the sacrifices required, and we understand our region,” said Winheim. “We love our community's aerospace flight test heritage and are glad to have the opportunity to support the service members stationed here.” The groups latest effort is the renovation of "Higher Grounds" a social space that allows #USAF #Airmen to connect and relax in comfort. "As a remote and isolated installation, members stationed at Edwards AFB can sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the world. Civ-Mil helps alleviate this sense of distance by providing a platform for the community to come together and show their appreciation for the sacrifices and dedication of our military personnel,” said Chief Master Sgt. Justin Stoltzfus, 412th Test Wing command chief. Learn more about their impact- https://lnkd.in/gernMH4U #AFMC
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