Retired Air National Guard Major General Joe Engle, a distinguished NASA astronaut, died at 91, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering aerospace achievements.
He was the first NASA astronaut to pilot both the X-15 hypersonic rocket plane, which earned him his astronaut wings, and the space shuttle.
Engle's extensive career included flying over 180 different aircraft, serving as a support crew member for Apollo missions, and commanding multiple Space Shuttle flights, including Columbia (STS-2) and Discovery.
His contributions were recognized with numerous prestigious military decorations, NASA awards, and inductions into various aviation and space halls of fame.
Retired Air National Guard Major General Joe Engle, the first NASA astronaut to fly the North American X-15 hypersonic rocket plane and the space shuttle, died Wednesday. He was 91.
According to the space agency, Engle was born in Abilene, Kansas, in 1932. His family said he was enamored with flight since childhood and always had his eyes on the sky.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
