Posted on 05/02/2006 8:40:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Bruce A. Peterson, a NASA test pilot who flew the wingless "lifting body" vehicles that led to development of the space shuttles and survived a filmed crash that became part of the opening scenes of "The Six Million Dollar Man" TV show, has died. He was 72.
Peterson died Monday in Laguna Niguel after a lengthy illness, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center said in a statement Tuesday. The specific cause was not disclosed.
Lifting bodies, conceived in the 1950s, were highly unusual wingless aircraft that derived aerodynamic lift from their shape, unlike conventional planes that get their lift from wings. Starting in the early 1960s, a series of lifting bodies were tested at Edwards Air Force Base, in the Mojave Desert, where Dryden is located.
The prototype was the M2-F1, known as the "flying bathtub," which Peterson flew 42 times on glide flights.
He then piloted its successors, the M2-F2 and the HL-10, which were heavier and powered by rockets.
On Dec. 22, 1966, he came close to disaster on the first flight of the HL-10 when a problem involving airflow across control surfaces made it almost unflyable, but he still managed to land it safely, NASA said. Data from the flight allowed the HL-10 to be successfully modified.
Disaster did strike on May 10, 1967, when Peterson was flying the M2-F2 and it rolled violently.
Peterson regained control but the craft hit Edwards' dry lakebed at an estimated 250 mph before the landing gear fully deployed. The M2-F2 tumbled across the ground before ending up on its back with the badly injured Peterson inside.
He recovered from the crash injuries, but lost sight in one eye due to a secondary infection while hospitalized.
Footage of the crash later was used in the opening credits of the 1970s TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man," NASA said. The show starred Lee Majors as a test pilot horrifically injured in a crash and rebuilt with advanced bionic implants.
Born May 23, 1933, the Washburn, N.D., native attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and then enlisted as a Naval Aviation cadet in 1953. He was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant in 1954.
Petersen then received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1958, and graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School in 1962.
He joined NASA in 1960 and in 1962 became a pilot on a paraglider that researched use of an inflatable and non-inflatable, flexible wing for recovering manned spacecraft.
The craft, which resembled a tricycle under a hang glider, crashed from a height of 10 feet during Peterson's first flight, a ground tow, and he was injured.
He later flew numerous aircraft as a NASA research pilot, including the F5D-1, F-100, F-104, F-111A, B-52 and the NT-33A Variable Stability Trainer. He also flew general aviation aircraft, helicopters and sailplanes.
In all, he logged more than 6,000 flight hours in nearly 70 types of aircraft.
He was responsible for safety and quality assurance when he retired from Dryden in 1981. He then worked for Northrop Corp.'s B-2 bomber division until 1994.
A memorial observance was pending, NASA said.
This undated photo released by NASA shows Bruce A. Peterson, a NASA test pilot who flew the wingless 'lifting body' vehicles that led to the development of the space shuttles and survived a filmed crash that became part of the opening scenes of 'The Bionic Man' TV show. Peterson died Monday, May 1, 2006, in Laguna Niguel, Calif. He was 72. (AP Photo/NASA)
Well, can't they rebuild him? We have the technology, right?
I wish tv land would bring back that series I loved it
X24B
The man had cajones de brasso.
cajones de brasso
Flying experimental craft?
you got that right ;-)
Remember when $6 million was a lot of money for an operational budget... (I don't. I'm not THAT old!)
May he rest in peace.
Such smazing work done with sliderules. RIP Bruce.
It looks like between the A and the B model, someone decided that wings were a really good idea.
We'll see the technology a lot more is my guess, thanks to pioneers such as Peterson. And somewhere he'll be watching it and smiling. RIP.
RIP Mr. Peterson. My dad was your commanding officer in the Marine Reserves, Col. Bass. We send your family condolences.........Lisa Bass lisalatrisa@yahoo.com
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