Walter Cunningham

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Walter Cunningham
Walter Cunningham
Country: United States
Organization: NASA
selected on October 17, 1963
(3rd NASA Group)
Calls: 1 space flight
Begin: October 11, 1968
Landing: October 22, 1968
Time in space: 10d 20h 8min
retired on August 1971
Space flights

Ronnie Walter "Walt" Cunningham (born March 16, 1932 in Creston , Iowa , USA ) is a former American astronaut . He flew with Apollo 7 as the 2nd pilot .

Cunningham attended high school in Venice ( California ). He joined the US Navy in 1951 and began flight training in 1952. He studied physics and got his bachelor's degree in 1960 and his master's degree in 1961. He completed more than 4500 flight hours, including more than 3400 hours in jet aircraft .

In 1963, Cunningham went to NASA with the third group of astronauts . On October 11, 1968, he launched Apollo 7 for the first manned Apollo flight on the tip of a Saturn 1B rocket into earth orbit. Together with Walter Schirra and Donn Eisele , he tested the Apollo spacecraft under space conditions. The safe landing in the Atlantic took place on October 22nd . From 1968 to 1971 he was the head of the Skylab division of the astronauts office. He was involved in the development of the Skylab space station and the design of experiments to be carried out there.

After leaving NASA, Cunningham held senior positions in various commercial companies.

Cunningham is married for the second time and has two children from his first marriage. He is considered a sports enthusiast and shows a particular interest in tennis .

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Commons : Walter Cunningham  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files
personal data
SURNAME Cunningham, Walter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cunningham, Ronnie Walter (full name); Cunningham, Walt (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American astronaut
DATE OF BIRTH March 16, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Creston , Iowa