While no astronauts on Artemis II tout Philly-area roots, a look back at aerospace history reveals that Chester County native Pete Conrad played an important role in early space exploration, writes Michaela Althouse for PhillyVoice.
A crew member of Apollo 12, Conrad became the third person to set foot on the moon in November 1969. The mission, which took place several months after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s inaugural feat, made Conrad one of just twelve people to have ever walked on the moon.
Before his aerospace career, Charles “Pete” Conrad grew up in the greater Philadelphia region. Born in the city and raised in Devon, he attended The Haverford School before transferring to a different school in New York.
Conrad later attended Princeton University and joined the Navy in 1953. After he was invited to apply for NASA’s space program, he would spend a total of 49 days in space across four missions.
Aboard Apollo 12, Conrad’s leadership helped the flight run smoothly. He managed the spacecraft after it was struck by lightning, and on a separate mission, Skylab 2, he helped repair a damaged section of the spacecraft.
Conrad sadly passed in 1999 after a motorcycle accident. He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, having earned numerous lifelong honors.
On top of his technical accomplishments, Conrad also gained a reputation for his whimsical sense of humor throughout his career. Upon setting foot on the moon, Conrad, who was five foot six, lovingly played on Armstrong’s famous words by saying, “Whoopee! Man, that may have been a small one [step] for Neil, but that’s a long one for me!”
Read more about Pete Conrad and the Chester County astronaut’s remarkable career in PhillyVoice.
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