Marine Corps aviator, astronaut and author, Walter Cunningham enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951. After receiving his pilot's wings, Cunningham was given a Marine Corps commission. His long and distinguished Marine Corps career spanned 23 years, with both active and reserve duty. He accumulated more than 4,400 flight hours in more than 35 different aircraft. Cunningham attended the University of California, Los Angeles, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1960, and a Master of Science in Physics a year later. From 1960-1963 he worked for the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) as a physicist. Cunningham joined NASA in 1963 to enter the astronaut program. He was only the third civilian astronaut at NASA. In October 1968 Cunningham journeyed into space during the Apollo 7 Mission, on which he orbited the earth for 11 days. This was the first manned mission of the Apollo program, and it marked the first time humans had flown on the Saturn rocket. The success of Apollo 7 was critical to the decision to send humans to the moon for the first time, on the next mission, Apollo 8. Cunningham's distinguished NASA career continued after the success of Apollo 7. From 1968-1971 he was the chief of the Skylab Branch of the Astronaut Office, overseeing many scientific experiments which helped the Skylab space station become such a great success. Cunningham retired from NASA in 1971, then participated in various private industrial enterprises. He took his expansive knowledge to the airwaves, and to paper. He was the host of a radio show, "Lift Off to Logic," and also formalized much of his experience with the space program in a book, The All American Boys. Cunningham is a member of a large number of organizations, including the American Astronautical Society and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and has been awarded many distinguished honors, including both the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Cunningham passed away on January 3, 2023 at the age of 90.
Inducted in 2011.
Portrait Location: Space Gallery

Induction Video