Col. Jack R. Lousma, USMC (Ret.)
Biography
Born on February 29, 1936, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jack Lousma was one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. During his 17 years with NASA, he was Pilot aboard Skylab, becoming one of the nation’s first space residents, spending 59 days aboard America’s first space station. During this flight, he completed nearly 11 hours of space walks repairing damage to the space station. On his second flight, Lousma commanded the third orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia. In total, Lousma has logged 6,400 hours of flight time and 1,619 hours, 123 minutes and 53 seconds in space.
Lousma graduated from Ann Arbor High School before receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1959. He also earned an Engineer’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1965.
Lousma joined the Marines in 1959 and in 1960 received his flight wings. He served with the 2nd Marine Air Wing as an attack pilot and with the 1st Marine Wing based in Japan. He was a reconnaissance pilot with the 2nd Marine Air Wing in 1966 when NASA selected him into the astronaut program.
Lousma served as a member of the astronaut support crews for the Apollo 9, 10, and 13 missions before becoming Pilot aboard Skylab. Lousma served as Command Module Pilot for the second manned Skylab Mission, Skylab 3, which launched on July 28, 1973. He was backup crewman for the Apollo-Soyuz joint spaceflight with the Soviet Union in 1975. In 1982, Lousma commanded the third orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle STS-3, which lasted 8 days.
In 1982, Lousma was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and received NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal.
Lousma served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for 25 years and an Astronaut for 17 years before resigning in 1983. He is currently Chairman, President and CEO of Diamond General Development Corporation that develops, manufactures, and sells an innovative electronic dental instrument based on new technology to diagnose periodontal disease.
Lousma actively lectures on his experiences with the space program as a distinguished astronaut, military leader, engineer, business executive and Christian. He currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Gratia. They have four children and seven grandchildren.
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