Richard Passman
Richard Passman | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 30, 1925 Cedarhurst, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 1, 2020 (aged 94) Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Occupation(s) | Aeronautical engineer, non-fiction writer |
| Employer(s) | Bell Aircraft, General Electric, United States Department of Energy |
Richard Passman (June 30, 1925 – April 1, 2020) was an American aeronautical engineer and space scientist. He worked on projects including the Corona, the first spy satellite. He was a volunteer in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum[1] and author.
Early life and education[edit]
Passman was born in Cedarhurst, New York, to Ethel and Matthew Passman. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1944 and mathematics in 1946. He earned a master's in aeronautical engineering in 1947.[2] He joined the Navy Pilot Training program during WWII, but was discharged for medical reasons.[3]
Career[edit]
Passman worked for Bell Aircraft, General Electric, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Grumman Corp.
He worked on the team that created Bell X-1, the first airplane to exceed the speed of sound and served as the Chief Aerodynamicist for Bell X-2, the first plane to break mach-3.[3] He also worked on the Corona, the spy satellite that informed the U.S. of Russian nuclear power.[4] Passman's work also included the Nimbus weather satellite and the SNAP-27 power system for Apollo missions to the moon.[citation needed] He served as manager of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory project before it was terminated by President Nixon.[5]
He co-authored X-15: The World’s Fastest Rocket Plan and the Pilots who Ushered In the Space Age in 2014.[6] He was named to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor.[7]
Personal life and death[edit]
Passman was married to Minna for 70 years. They had three sons and lived in Silver Spring, Maryland, at the time of his death. He died of complications from COVID-19 at Holy Cross Hospital.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ The Michigan Alumnus. UM Libraries. 2001.
- ^ a b Schwartz, John (April 16, 2020). "Richard Passman, Space-Age Engineer Who Kept His Secrets, Dies at 94". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Mr. Richard Passman -". baldwincremation.com. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ "Richard Passman: Aerospace engineer was known as a 'Renaissance man'". Newsday. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ The Michigan Alumnus. UM Libraries. 1965.
- ^ X-15 (Smithsonian Series). Zenith Press. February 15, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via www.amazon.com.
- ^ "Richard A. Passman". National Air and Space Museum. January 16, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
