UW’s right stuff: 4 alumni who helped launch space shuttle program
June’s flight of the Atlantis brought to a close NASA’s Space Shuttle program after 30 years. The University of Washington played a huge role in this scientific and engineering marvel, and here, we pay tribute to four alumni of the College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences who made this space-travel dream come true. The additional alumni of note include:
Anita Gale, B.S., ’73, M.S., ’74, Aeronautics and Astronautics
Gale went to work on the Space Shuttle for Rockwell International Corp. right out of college and spent 37 years working on various aspects of the Shuttle program with an emphasis on process improvement. She is currently a senior project engineer for Boeing in Houston.
George Jeffs, B.S., ’45, M.S., ’48, Aeronautical Engineering
Jeffs served as Rockwell’s first Shuttle Program Manager. A hands-on administrator much admired by his peers, Jeffs “got into the depths of every system on the orbiter—nuts, bolts and screws.” He was responsible for the design, development, manufacturing and testing of the Space Shuttle orbiter and its main engines.
Dale Myers, B.S., ’43, Aeronautical Engineering
Myers left private industry at NASA’s request to become its Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight from 1970 to 1974. During this period, he was a driving force behind getting the Shuttle program defined and getting it approved by the president. Myers also worked with NASA and industry to develop what turned out to be the final configuration of the Shuttle.
Stanley Love, M.S., ’89, Ph.D., ’93, Astronomy
Love, an astronaut, served as a mission specialist on the STS-122 Atlantis, the 24th Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. Love also worked in Mission Control as Capcom (spacecraft communicator) for many Shuttle and Space Station Missions.