Purdue News

October 1999 Astronaut news conference Purdue University, the cradle of astronauts, invites journalists to a news conference featuring its astronaut alumni at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, in the Krannert Auditorium on its West Lafayette, Ind., campus. A two-way satellite uplink will be provided so broadcasters may ask questions from their own studios. For satellite coordinates and further information, please contact Grady Jones at the Purdue News Service at (765) 494-2096 or purduenews@purdue.edu. Purdue's 19 living astronaut alumni, who include the first and last men on the moon, also will be honored on the field during the Purdue vs. Penn State football game Saturday, Oct. 23, at Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue has graduated 21 people who have been selected for space flight, including Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Roger Chaffee, who died Jan. 27, 1967, in a fire inside their space capsule during a preflight test of Apollo 1.   Purdue's 21 astronaut alumni are: Neil A. Armstrong, bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, 1955. John E. Blaha, master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1966. Roy D. Bridges Jr., master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1966. Mark N. Brown, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1973. John J. Casper, master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1967. Eugene A. Cernan, bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, 1956. Roger B. Chaffee, bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, 1957. Richard O. Covey, master's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1969. Guy S. Gardner, master's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1970. Virgil I. Grissom, bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, 1950. Gregory J. Harbaugh, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1978. Michael J. McCulley, bachelor's and master's degrees in metallurgical engineering, 1970. Gary E. Payton, master's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1972. Mark L. Polansky, bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1978. Jerry Ross, bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering, 1970 and 1972. Loren J. Shriver, master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1968. Janice E. Voss, bachelor's degree in engineering science, 1975. Charles D. Walker, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1971. Mary Ellen Weber, bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, 1984. Donald E. Williams, bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, 1964. David A. Wolf, bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, 1978.   To the Purdue News and Photos Page