Go4Liftoff - Donald H. Peterson

Donald H. Peterson

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Nationality American

Date Of Birth 1933-10-22

Deceased 2018-05-27

Status Deceased

Type Government

Agency

Astronaut Biography

Donald Herod Peterson was a United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. Peterson was originally selected for the Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program, but, when that was canceled, he became a NASA astronaut in September 1969. He was a mission specialist on STS-6 on board Challenger. During the mission Peterson performed a spacewalk to test the new airlock and space suits. He logged 120 hours in space. Peterson retired from NASA in 1984.