Pete Conrad, born Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr., was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He was born on June 2, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and passed away on July 8, 1999. Conrad is best known for his significant contributions to the United States' space program, particularly as the third man to walk on the moon.
Conrad served as a naval aviator and test pilot before joining NASA in 1962. He was a member of the second group of astronauts selected by NASA, known as the "New Nine." His first space mission was as part of the Gemini 5 mission in 1965, during which he set a new record for the longest duration human spaceflight at the time.
Conrad's most prominent achievement came in 1969 as the commander of Apollo 12, the second manned mission to land on the moon. On November 14, 1969, Conrad, along with fellow astronaut Alan Bean, became the third and fourth humans to ever set foot on the lunar surface. During their moonwalk, Conrad famously remarked, "That may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me."
Beyond his moon landing accomplishments, Conrad contributed to the development of the Skylab space station and played a crucial role in the planning and design of the Space Shuttle program. With an impressive career that spanned over a decade, Conrad left a lasting impact on space exploration, solidifying his status as a celebrated figure in the history of aviation and astronautics.
