'Mr. Astronaut' John Young remembered as American hero

A trio of space shuttle astronauts on Thursday remembered John Young as an American hero and the ultimate in their profession.

“He was the astronaut,” said Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, a four-time shuttle pilot and commander, at a ceremony hosted by the KSC Visitor Complex. “It’s sad that we’ve lost him, but he’s not going to be forgotten. And what he did for human spaceflight is going to be critical to our success in the future.”

Young died last Friday, Jan. 5, at age 87, from complications of pneumonia.

The Orlando native, for whom the John Young Parkway is named, was NASA’s only astronaut to fly twice in the Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs, missions that included roving on the lunar surface in 1972 and the first shuttle launch in 1981.

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The launch aboard Columbia with Bob Crippen, called STS-1, was the first time people flew aboard a spaceflight system the first time it was launched.

“That was the gutsiest test flight of all time,” said Cabana, speaking in front of the Visitor Complex's Heroes and Legends Exhibit, alongside a wreath adorned with ribbons that read "An American Hero" and "Forever Remembered."

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Mike McCulley, who piloted Atlantis in 1989, remembered flying back seat to Young in a T-38 training jet while performing weather reconnaissance during shuttle launches and landings.

One clear night with a full moon, when the weather was no concern, McCulley asked Young what the moon was like.

Young often responded at length to questions. But this time, after a period of silence, he replied simply, “That was a weird place.”

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“He was an unusual, spectacular man,” said McCulley. “We feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to live and work (with) and know John Young.”

Jon McBride, who piloted challenger in 1984, gave Young the moniker of “Mr. Astronaut.”

“He was the spirit of the astronaut office,” said McBride, who as lead chase pilot escorted Young and Crippen to their lake bed landing at Edwards Air Force Base in Columbia.

In addition to his flight resume, Cabana recalled Young’s focus on safety in roles including chief of the astronaut office and a special assistant to the director of Johnson Space Center.

Astronauts and engineers looked forward to receiving what they called John Young-grams — frequent memos highlighting technical concerns.

“That was John. It was that attention to detail,” said Cabana. “He was always trying to encourage discussion on safety and technical issues.”

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Yusef Johnson, a KSC contractor who attended the ceremony Thursday, remembered one example of that safety focus and attention to detail.

Perhaps more than some, Young cared greatly about “contingency aborts” — the most unlikely abort scenarios that a shuttle might encounter after launch, such as if two or all three main engines cut out.

Young ensured they received adequate attention so crews might have a chance, He invited a young Johnson into JSC's flight simulator to help analyze the options.

“He brought it to the forefront and kind of forced management to keep taking a look at it and devoting resources to continually improving it,” said Johnson, a 48-year-old Rockledge resident.

Johnson also remembered the legend's unassuming “aw shucks” attitude, and how he brought brown bag lunches to work.

The ceremony’s audience also included a younger generation inspired by Young’s career.

“I’m here because I wanted to follow in his footsteps,” said Zion Quiros, a 21-year-old aerospace engineering student at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. “People need to see us explore. That’s in our nature.”

Quiros wore a shirt featuring the Gemini 10 mission logo, paying homage to the flight Young led with pilot Michael Collins in 1966.

McBride closed the ceremony with a moment of silence.

“God bless you,” he said. “God speed, John.”

Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 or jdean@floridatoday.com. And follow on Twitter at @flatoday_jdean and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FlameTrench.