[Brazelton] Alan Bean

[evilmike]

Apollo and Skylab astronaut Alan Bean, the fourth human to walk on the moon and an accomplished artist, has died.

Bean, 86, died on Saturday, May 26, at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. His death followed his suddenly falling ill while on travel in Fort Wayne, Indiana two weeks before.

“Alan was the strongest and kindest man I ever knew. He was the love of my life and I miss him dearly,” said Leslie Bean, Alan Bean’s wife of 40 years. “A native Texan, Alan died peacefully in Houston surrounded by those who loved him.”

A test pilot in the U.S. Navy, Bean was one of 14 trainees selected by NASA for its third group of astronauts in October 1963. He flew twice into space, first as the lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, the second moon landing mission, in November 1969, and then as commander of the second crewed flight to the United States’ first space station, Skylab, in July 1973.

(NASA)​

 

[jwhouk]

Aldrin, Scott, Duke, and Schmitt are now the only ones left.

Godspeed, Alan.

 

[PatrThom]

We need to crowdfund another Moon shot for when Aldrin dies.
Once he passes, we will need someone new to to take up the mantle of punching unbelievers in the face.

—Patrick

 

[Tinwhistler]

When I sold my patents back in the early 2000's, I didn't have or need a job. A friend of mine needed a security guard to only work one night a week at a private-access neighborhood off of Memorial Drive in Houstin, and asked me to do it. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I agreed.

Alan Bean lived there (as well as a few other Houston notables, like Dominique Sachse) , and we chatted several times. He was a decent fella. Sorry to hear of his passing.