By Leejay Lockhart
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Fifty years ago, Apollo 15 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, sending Commander David R. Scott, Command Module Pilot Alfred M. Worden, and Lunar Module Pilot James B. Irwin on the first of three Apollo “J” missions. These missions gave astronauts the opportunity to explore the Moon for longer periods using upgraded and more plentiful scientific instruments than ever before. Apollo 15 was the first mission where astronauts used the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill (ALSD) and the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV).

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — Former astronaut Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar landing, passed away March 18, 2020, in Texas.

“I’m deeply saddened to hear that Apollo astronaut Al Worden has passed away,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted about Worden. “Al was an American hero whose achievements in space and on Earth will never be forgotten. My prayers are with his family and friends.”

NASA Administrator’s Statement on the Passing of Alfred M. Worden

Astronaut Al Worden

WASHINGTON (NSS PR) — The National Space Society (NSS) has named astronaut Al Worden the 2019 recipient of NSS’ Space Pioneer Award for Historic Space Achievement. Worden flew to the Moon on Apollo 15.

The prestigious award will be presented to Mr. Worden at the Society’s 38th annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC^®), to be held in the Washington DC area at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel from June 6-9, 2019. NSS invites the public to come meet, interact and learn from Al Worden and attend his award ceremony.

For more information, see: isdc2019.nss.org.

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The Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference is being held in Colorado through Wednesday. I wasn’t able to attend this year, but the following folks are there tweeting away: Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust Rand Simberg‏ @Rand_Simberg Colorado Space News‏ @CO_Space_News Below is an update on Blue Origin’s New Shepard program based on their tweets. Jeff Ashby Chief of Mission Assurance Blue Origin Flawless New Shepard flight test last week First commercial flight […]

PROGRAM UPDATE

Apollo 15 command module pilot Al Worden will be the featured guest on the July 11 edition of “Space Talk with Jim Banke.” Worden, a retired Air Force colonel, flew to the Moon in August 1971 with astronauts Dave Scott and Jim Irwin, remaining in lunar orbit while his crewmates explored Hadley Rille and the Apennene Mountains. On the way home to Earth he performed the first spacewalk in “deep space.”

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