Born: November 22, 1930,  Enid, Oklahoma

Dr. Owen K. Garriott, astronaut  Graduated from Enid High School in 1948; received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1953 and a M.S. and Ph.D from Stanford University in Electrical Engineering in 1957 and 1960, respectively. Completed one year U.S. Air Force Pilot Training Program (1966), receiving qualification as pilot in jet aircraft.In 1965 he was one of the 6 Scientist-Astronauts selected by NASA.

His first space flight, the Skylab 3 mission in 1973, set a new world record for duration of approximately 60 days, more than double the previous record. Extensive experimental studies of our sun, of earth resources and in various life sciences, relating to human adaptation to weightlessness were made. His second space flight was aboard Spacelab-1 in 1983, a multidisciplinary and international mission of 10 days; this was mission STS-8 aboard the space shuttle Columbia. Over 70 separate experiments in six different disciplines were conducted, primarily to demonstrate the suitability of Spacelab for research in all these areas.

He operated the world's first Amateur Radio Station from space, W5LFL, which has since expanded into an important activity on dozens of shuttle flights, Space Station Mir and now the International Space Station, with scores of astronauts and cosmonauts participating. Between these missions, he received a NASA fellowship for one year's study at Stanford (1975-76) and held the posts of Deputy, Acting and Director of Science and Applications at Johnson Space Center, (1974-75, 76-78). In the latter post he was responsible for all research in the physical sciences at the Johnson Space Center.From 1984 to 1986, he held the position of Project Scientist in the Space Station Project Office. In this position he worked closely with the external scientific communities and advised the Project Manager concerning the scientific suitability of the Space Station design.