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Joe Engle

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description Joe Engle Overview

Joe Engle was an American test pilot and NASA astronaut who flew the North American X-15 rocket plane above 50 miles on three separate flights, qualifying him for USAF astronaut wings. He later commanded the Space Shuttle *Columbia* on its second orbital flight (STS-2) in 1981, making him the only person to have manually flown a winged vehicle into space on two different occasions. He further commanded Shuttle mission STS-51-I in 1985. Engle's career spanned the transition from early rocket plane research to the operational Space Shuttle program.

help Joe Engle FAQ

How did Joe Engle earn his astronaut wings before joining NASA?

Joe Engle earned his USAF astronaut wings by flying the X-15 rocket plane above 50 miles three times. This remarkable achievement occurred in the 1960s before he was selected as a NASA astronaut.

Did Joe Engle ever fly to the Moon?

Although he served as the backup Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 14, he never walked on the Moon. The cancellation of the Apollo program ended his chances of a lunar flight.

What Space Shuttle missions did Joe Engle command?

Joe Engle commanded two Space Shuttle missions: STS-2 aboard Columbia in 1981 and STS-51-I aboard Discovery in 1985. He was the only person to manually fly the Shuttle through atmospheric reentry.