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This article is about the astronaut. For other uses, seeAlan Bean (disambiguation).

Alan Bean
Born
Alan LaVern Bean

(1932-03-15)March 15, 1932
Wheeler, Texas,U.S.
DiedMay 26, 2018(2018-05-26)(aged 86)
Houston,Texas,U.S.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
EducationUniversity of Texas, Austin(BS)
AwardsNASA Distinguished Service Medal
Space career
NASA astronaut
RankCaptain,USN
Time in space
69d 15h 45m
SelectionNASA Group 3 (1963)
TotalEVAs
3
Total EVA time
10h 12m[1][2]
Missions
Mission insignia
RetirementJune 1981

Alan LaVern Bean(March 15, 1932 – May 26, 2018) was an Americannaval officerandaviator,aeronautical engineer,test pilot,NASAastronautandpainter.He was selected to become an astronaut by NASA in 1963 as part ofAstronaut Group 3,and was thefourth person to walk on the Moon.

Before becoming an astronaut, Bean graduated with aBachelor of Sciencedegree inAeronautical EngineeringfromUniversity of Texas at Austinin 1955 and re-joined the U.S. Navy—he served as an enlisted member for a year after his high school graduation. He received his naval aviator wings in 1956 and served as afighter pilot.In 1960, he graduated from theU.S. Naval Test Pilot School,flew as a test pilot and wasThe New Nineselection finalist in 1962.

He made his first flight into space aboardApollo 12,the second crewed mission to land on theMoon,at age 37 in November 1969. He made his second and final flight into space on theSkylab 3mission in 1973, the second crewed mission to theSkylabspace station.After retiring from theUnited States Navyin 1975 and NASA in 1981, he pursued his interest inpainting,depicting various space-related scenes and documenting his own experiences in space as well as those of his fellowApollo programastronauts. He was the last living crew member of Apollo 12.

Biography[edit]

Early life and education[edit]

Bean was born March 15, 1932,[3]inWheeler,the seat ofWheeler Countyin the northeasternTexas Panhandle,to parents Arnold Horace Bean and Frances Caroline Bean (néeMurphy), who lived from 1908 to 1983, and 1906 to 1981, respectively.[4][5][6]He consideredFort Worthhis hometown.[7]He was ofScottishdescent.[8]As a boy, he lived inMinden,the seat ofWebster Parishin northwesternLouisiana,where his father worked for theU.S. Soil Conservation Service.[9][10]Bean was aBoy Scoutand he earned the rank ofFirst Class.[11]He graduated fromR. L. Paschal High SchoolinFort Worth, Texas,in 1949.[12][13]Following his high school graduation in 1949, Bean enlisted in theU.S. Naval Reserve.[14]

Bean received aBachelor of Sciencedegree inaeronautical engineeringfrom theUniversity of Texas at Austinin 1955, where he attended on aNaval Reserve Officers Training Corps(NROTC) scholarship.[14]While at the university, he also joined theDelta Kappa Epsilonfraternity.[15]

Military service[edit]

He was an Electronics Technician Striker at theNAS Dallas,Texas,until September 1950, when he washonorably discharged.[13]In January 1955, Bean was commissioned aU.S. Navyensignthrough the NROTC at the University of Texas at Austin, and attended flight training.[12]After completing flight training in June 1956, he was assigned toAttack Squadron 44(VA-44) atNAS Jacksonville,Florida,from 1956 to 1960, flying theF9F CougarandA4D Skyhawk.After a four-year tour of duty,[16]he attended theU.S. Naval Test Pilot School(USNTPS) atNAS Patuxent River,Maryland,where his instructor was his futureApollo 12Commander,Pete Conrad,graduating in November 1960.[7][13]Bean tookartclasses atSt. Mary's College of Marylandduring this tour,[17]and flew as atest piloton several types of naval aircraft. Following his assignment at USNTPS and aviation safety training with theUniversity of Southern California(USC), he went through additional instruction with his old Attack Squadron 44,[13]and was assigned to Navy Attack SquadronVA-172atNAS Cecil Field,Florida, flying theA-4 Skyhawks,during which time he was selected as a NASA astronaut.[14][18]

Bean logged more than 7,145 hours of flying time, including 4,890 hours injet aircraft.[19]

NASA career[edit]

Bean was selected by NASA as part ofAstronaut Group 3in 1963 (after not being selected forAstronaut Group 2the previous year).[20]He was selected to be the backup command pilot forGemini 10,but was unsuccessful in securing an early Apollo flight assignment. He was placed in theApollo Applications Programin the interim. In that capacity, he was the first astronaut to dive in theNeutral Buoyancy Simulatorand a champion of the process for astronaut training.[21]When fellow astronautClifton Williamswas killed in an air crash, a space was opened for Bean on the backup crew forApollo 9.Apollo 12 Commander Conrad, who had instructed Bean at the Naval Test Pilot School years before, personally requested Bean to replace Williams.[14][18]

Apollo program[edit]

Main article:Apollo 12
Bean during suiting-up for Apollo 12 flight
Bean on the Moon during Apollo 12

Bean was theApollo Lunar Modulepilot onApollo 12,the second lunar landing. In November 1969, Bean andPete Conradlanded on the Moon'sOcean of Storms—after a flight of 250,000 miles and a launch that included a harrowing lightning strike. He was the astronaut who executedJohn Aaron's "Flight, try SCE to 'Aux'" instruction to restore telemetry after the spacecraft was struck by lightning 36 seconds after launch, thus salvaging the mission. They explored the lunar surface, deployed severallunar surfaceexperiments, and installed the first nuclear power generator station on the Moon to provide the power source.Dick Gordonremained in lunar orbit, photographing landing sites for future missions.[19]

Pete Conrad,Dick Gordon,and Alan Bean pose with their Apollo 12 Saturn V Moon rocket in the background on the pad atCape Canaveralon October 29, 1969

Bean had planned on using a self-timer for hisHasselbladcamera to take a photograph of both Pete Conrad and himself while on the lunar surface near theSurveyor IIIspacecraft. He was hoping to record a good photo, and also to confuse the mission scientists as to how the photo could have been taken. However, neither he nor Conrad could locate the timer in the tool carrier tote bag while at the Surveyor III site, thus lost the opportunity. After finding the self-timer unit at the end of theEVA,when it was too late to use, he threw it as far as he could.[22]His paintings of what this photo would have looked like (titledThe Fabulous Photo We Never Took) and one of his fruitless search for the timer (Our Little Secret) are included in his collection of Apollo paintings.[23][24]

Bean's suit is on display in theNational Air and Space Museum.[25]

Skylab[edit]

Main article:Skylab 3
Bean shaving during the Skylab 3 mission

Bean was the spacecraft commander ofSkylab 3,the second crewed mission toSkylab,from July 29 to September 25, 1973. With him on the mission were scientist-astronautOwen GarriottandMarine CorpsColonel Jack R. Lousma.Bean and his crew were on Skylab for 59 days, during which time they covered a world-record-setting 24.4 million miles.[19]During the mission, Bean tested a prototype of theManned Maneuvering Unitand performed one spacewalk outside the Skylab. The crew of Skylab 3 accomplished 150% of its mission goals.[19]

Post-NASA career[edit]

Bean, February 2009

On his next assignment, Bean was the backup spacecraft commander of the United States flight crew for the joint American-RussianApollo-Soyuz Test Project.[19]

Bean retired from the Navy in October 1975 as acaptain,and continued as head of the Astronaut Candidate Operations and Training Group within the Astronaut Office in a civilian capacity.[19][26]

Bean logged 1,671 hours and 45 minutes in space while atNASA,of which 10 hours and 26 minutes were spent inEVAson the Moon and inEarth orbit.[19]

Painting[edit]

Bean in his studio in 2009

Bean resigned from NASA in June 1981 to devote his time topainting.He said his decision was based on that, in his 18 years as an astronaut, he was fortunate enough to visit worlds and see sights no artist's eye, past or present, has ever viewed firsthand and he hoped to express these experiences through his art.[12]

As a painter, Bean wanted to add color to the Moon. "I had to figure out a way to add color to the Moon without ruining it," he remarked. In his paintings, the lunar landscape is not a monotonous gray, but shades of various colors. "If I were a scientist painting the Moon, I would paint it gray. I'm an artist, so I can add colors to the Moon", said Bean.[27]

Bean's paintings includeLunar Grand PrixandRock and Roll on the Ocean of Storms,and he used real Moon dust in his paintings.[28]When he began painting, he realized that keepsake patches from his space suit were dirty with Moon dust. He added tiny pieces of the patches to his paintings, which made them unique. He also used a hammer, used to pound the flagpole into the lunar surface, and a bronzed Moon boot to texture his paintings.[29]

In July 2009, for the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Bean exhibited his lunar paintings at theSmithsonian Institution'sNational Air and Space Museumin Washington.[30]

But I'm the only one who can paint the Moon, because I'm the only one who knows whether that's right or not.

— Bean describing his Moon painting capability[12]

Personal life and death[edit]

Alan Bean museum marker inWheeler, Texas
Bean presents a piece of Moon rock at theGasometer Oberhausenin March 2010

Bean took a piece ofClan MacBeantartanto the Moon.[31]In recognition of his Scottish ancestry, Bean stated:

As I remember it, I took Clan McBean tartan to the Moon and returned it to Earth. […] I did, in fact, give a piece of the tartan to the Clan McBean and also to the St Bean Chapel in Scotland. And I've still got some of it in my possession. I did not, however leave any of it on the Moon.[32]

He married Sue Ragsdale, a fellow graduate of the University of Texas on April 19, 1955, shortly before her graduation.[33]With Ragsdale, Bean had a son, Clay, and a daughter, Amy Sue.[34][35]

Bean died on May 26, 2018, inHouston, Texas,at the age of 86.[36]His death followed the sudden onset of illness two weeks before while he was inFort Wayne, Indiana.[35]At the time of his death, Bean was married to his second wife, Leslie, and was also survived by his sister, Paula Scott.[35]

Bean was interred inArlington National Cemeteryon November 8, 2018.[37]

Legacy[edit]

He was awarded with several awards and decorations during his career. He received theRear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress,[19]theGodfrey L. CabotAward for 1970,[19]theNational Academy of Television Arts and SciencesTrustees Award,[19]theV. M. KomarovDiploma for 1973[19]and theAASFlight Achievement Award for 1974.[19]

Bean received theNavy Astronaut Wings,theNavy Distinguished Service Medal(twice), theNASA Distinguished Service Medal(twice), and theNational Defense Service Medalwithbronze star.[13][19][38]

Bean was inducted into theInternational Space Hall of Famein 1983,[12][39]theU.S. Astronaut Hall of Famein 1997,[40][41]theInternational Air & Space Hall of Famein 2010,[42]and theNational Aviation Hall of Famefor 2010.[43]He was also afellowof theAmerican Astronautical Societyand a member of theSociety of Experimental Test Pilots.[19]

Bean received the University of Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1970 and the Distinguished Engineering Graduate Award.[44]Bean, the first Texan to walk on the Moon, was awarded the Texas Press Associations Texan of the Year Award for 1969.[45]The 1973Robert J. Collier Trophywas awarded to NASA and the Skylab crew.[46]Bean was awarded anHonoraryDoctorate of SciencefromTexas Wesleyan Collegein 1972, and was presented an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering Science degree from theUniversity of Akron(Ohio) in 1974.[19]The city of Chicago held a parade and presented gold medals to the Skylab astronauts in 1974.[47]Bean was the recipient ofFédération Aéronautique Internationale's prestigiousYuri Gagarin Gold Medalfor 1973 inSydney,Australia.[48]In 1975, President Ford presented Skylab commanderGerald Carrwith theDr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophyat a White House ceremony, on behalf of all Skylab astronauts (including Bean).[49]Bean was a co-recipient ofAIAA'sOctave Chanute Awardfor 1975, along with fellow Skylab 3 astronautsJack LousmaandOwen Garriott.[50]In 2019, Northrop Grumman named the spacecraft for theNG-12 missiontheS.S. Alan Bean.[51]

In media[edit]

In the 1998HBOminiseriesFrom the Earth to the Moon,Bean was portrayed byDave Foley.[52]Swedishindie popartistStina Nordenstamhas a song called "The Return of Alan Bean" on her 1991 debut albumMemories of a Color.[53]British indie rock bandHefnerreleased a single called "Alan Bean"in 2001, writing from the perspective of Bean during Apollo 12.[54]For her 2019 novel,America Was Hard to Find,American writerKathleen Alcottbased her description of the Apollo landing on interviews she conducted with Bean.[55]

Books[edit]

  • My Life As An Astronaut(1989)ISBN978-0671674250
  • Apollo: An Eyewitness Account(withAndrew Chaikin) (1998)ISBN978-0867130508
  • Into the Sunlit Splendor: The Aviation Art of William S. Phillips(with Ann Cooper, Charles S. Cooper and Wilson Hurley) (2005)ISBN978-0867130935
  • Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon(with Andrew Chaikin) (2009)ISBN978-0670011568
  • Painting Apollo: First Artist on Another World(2009)ISBN978-1588342645

Bean's in-flight Skylab diary is featured inHomesteading Space: the Skylab Story,a history of the Skylab program co-authored by fellow astronauts Dr.Joseph Kerwinand Dr.Owen Garriottand writerDavid Hitt,published in 2008.[56]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Joachim Becker (December 15, 2022)."Apollo 12 Mission Overview".RetrievedDecember 15,2022.
  2. ^Marshall Space Flight Center (December 15, 2022)."APPENDIX 2 SKYLAB SUMMARY".RetrievedDecember 15,2022.
  3. ^Jacobs, Nancy (November 14, 1969)."Ex-Coleman Resident Bean to be 4th on Moon".Abilene Reporter-News.Abilene, Texas. p. 2 – via Newspapers.
  4. ^Slaughter, George and Kathy M. (December 21, 2022)."Bean, Alan LaVern (1932–2018)".
  5. ^Gragg, Jeff (May 11, 2013)."Arnold H. Bean (Bean's father)".
  6. ^Gragg, Jeff (May 11, 2013)."Francis Caroline Bean (Bean's mother)".
  7. ^ab"Men of the Apollo XII Crew".The Kokomo Tribune.Kokomo, Indiana. November 25, 1969. p. 29 – via newspapers.
  8. ^Smith, Kenny (November 23, 2018)."The late Alan Bean was the Scotsman on the moon".Scottish Field.RetrievedDecember 10,2022.
  9. ^Evans, Ben (May 26, 2018)."Moonwalker, Skylab Commander and Lunar Artist Alan Bean Dies, Aged 86 - AmericaSpace".americaspace.RetrievedDecember 25,2022.
  10. ^Carlson, Michael (May 30, 2018)."Alan Bean obituary".the Guardian.RetrievedDecember 25,2022.
  11. ^"Scouting and Space Exploration".Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.
  12. ^abcde"Piloted the lunar module on Apollo 12, the second lunar landing mission".New Mexico Museum of Space History.RetrievedMay 28,2018.
  13. ^abcde(November 16, 2016).Alan Lavern Bean.Naval History and Heritage Command
  14. ^abcdKelly, Michelle (June 23, 1998)."NASA Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Edited Oral History Transcript".NASA Johnson Space Center.RetrievedDecember 15,2022.
  15. ^Gecker, Jocelyn (May 26, 2018)."Apollo moonwalker, artist Alan Bean dies at age 86 in Houston".FOX 7. Archived fromthe originalon June 27, 2018.RetrievedMay 28,2018.
  16. ^The Lunar Hall of Fame: Alan BeanArchivedMarch 25, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  17. ^Bruckler, Michael (September 9, 2019).NASA Historians to Speak at St. Mary's CollegeArchivedFebruary 27, 2020, at theWayback Machine
  18. ^abRoss-Nazzal, Jennifer (February 23, 2010)."NASA Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Edited Oral History Transcript".NASA Johnson Space Center.RetrievedDecember 15,2022.
  19. ^abcdefghijklmno"Biographical Data: ALAN BEAN (CAPTAIN, USN, RET.) NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)"(PDF).August 1993.Archived(PDF)from the original on August 30, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  20. ^Chaikin, Andrew(1994).A Man on the Moon.Penguin Books Ltd.ISBN978-0-14-024146-4.
  21. ^von Braun, Wernher (2010), Buckbee, Ed (ed.),The Rocket Man: Wernher von Braun: The Man Who Took America to the Moon: His Weekly Notes: 1961–1969(DVD),Steward & Wise Music Publishing, p. 1966-07 p. 79,ISBN978-1-935001-27-0
  22. ^Agle, D.C. (November 17, 2004)."NASA – Ocean Rendezvous".Nasa.gov.Archivedfrom the original on December 15, 2010.RetrievedDecember 14,2010.
  23. ^"Our Little Secret".Alanbeangallery.RetrievedJuly 11,2024.
  24. ^Bean, Alan and Chaikin, Andrew.Apollo: An Eyewitness Account,The Greenwich Workshop Press; First Edition (January 10, 1998).ISBN0-86713-050-4
  25. ^"Historic Spacecraft – Space Suit Photos".
  26. ^Kennedy, J. Michael (April 29, 1985)."Shuttle Flight Is Lind's First Mission: Astronaut's 19-Year Wait for Space Trip Ends Today".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJuly 7,2020.
  27. ^"Alan Bean".International Museum of Art. Archived fromthe originalon September 28, 2018.RetrievedDecember 24,2017.
  28. ^"Conversations: Astronaut-Turned-Moon Artist Alan Bean".Washington Post.July 19, 2009.RetrievedDecember 24,2017.
  29. ^Bean, Alan."Message from Alan Bean".Alan Bean: first artist on another world.RetrievedJanuary 23,2017.
  30. ^Dunham, Will (May 26, 2018)."Alan Bean, moon-walking U.S. astronaut turned painter, dies in Houston".Reuters.RetrievedMay 26,2018.
  31. ^MacTaggart, Ken (May 30, 2018)."American-Scottish astronaut who took tartan to the moon".The Herald.RetrievedSeptember 28,2010.
  32. ^"Clan MacBean Arrives On The Moon".alanbeangallery.April 30, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on July 20, 2012.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  33. ^"Alan Bean and Sue Ragsdale - Background of" new Astronaut and his wife "".Pensacola News Journal.October 19, 1963. p. 3.RetrievedJanuary 6,2023.
  34. ^Slaughter, George and Kathy M. (January 6, 2023)."TSHA | Bean, Alan LaVern".tshaonline.org.RetrievedJanuary 6,2023.
  35. ^abc"Family Release Regarding the Passing of Apollo, Skylab Astronaut Alan Bean".NASA. May 26, 2018.RetrievedMay 26,2018.
  36. ^"Alan Bean, moon-walking astronaut and artist, dies aged 86".BBC News.May 27, 2018.RetrievedMay 27,2018.
  37. ^"Alan Bean Interment (NHQ201811080015)".Flickr.NASA. November 8, 2018.RetrievedNovember 28,2022.
  38. ^"Agnew Confers Awards on Crews of 3 Apollos".Arizona Republic.Phoenix, Arizona. Associated Press. November 14, 1970. p. 23 – via Newspapers.
  39. ^Sheppard, David (October 2, 1983)."Space Hall Inducts 14 Apollo Program Astronauts".El Paso Times.El Paso, Texas. p. 18 – via Newspapers.
  40. ^"Alan Bean".Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.RetrievedDecember 24,2017.
  41. ^Meyer, Marilyn (October 2, 1997)."Ceremony to Honor Astronauts".Florida Today.Cocoa, Florida. p. 2B – via Newspapers.
  42. ^Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor.These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame.Donning Co. Publishers, 2006.ISBN978-1-57864-397-4.
  43. ^"Ensrinee Alan L. Bean".nationalaviation.org.National Aviation Hall of Fame.RetrievedJanuary 25,2023.
  44. ^"Distinguished Alumnus Award".Texas Exes.RetrievedMay 28,2018.
  45. ^"Press Honors Two Texans".Longview News-Journal.Longview, Texas. January 23, 1970. p. 21 – via Newspapers.
  46. ^"Collier Trophy at Test Range".The Orlando Sentinel.Orlando, Florida. October 3, 1974. p. 21 – via Newspapers.
  47. ^"Chicagoans Host Nine Astronauts".The Orlando Sentinel.Orlando, Florida. March 27, 1974. p. 13-A – via Newspapers.
  48. ^"Astronauts Honored".The Daily Courier.Connellsville, Pennsylvania. UPI. October 28, 1974. p. 4 – via Newspapers.
  49. ^"Ford Praises Astronauts, Space Program".Daily Press.Newport News, Virginia. UPI. April 12, 1975. p. 23 – via Newspapers.
  50. ^"Chanute Flight Test Award Recipients".AIAA. Archived fromthe originalon June 12, 2018.RetrievedMay 28,2018.
  51. ^"Northrop Grumman names 12th Cygnus ship for Apollo 12 astronaut".collectSPACE.October 24, 2019.RetrievedOctober 24,2019.
  52. ^James, Caryn (April 3, 1998)."Television Review; Boyish Eyes on the Moon".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on August 6, 2018.RetrievedAugust 5,2018.
  53. ^Alan BeanatAllMusic
  54. ^Porter, Christopher (September 15, 2009)."Hefner, 'Alan Bean'".The Washington Post.RetrievedMay 26,2018.
  55. ^Alcott, Kathleen (2019).America Was Hard to Find.New York: Ecco. pp. 415–417.ISBN9780062662545.
  56. ^Plaxco, Jim (September 16, 2009)."Book Review: Homesteading Space".National Space Society.RetrievedMay 26,2018.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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