Editing Robert C. Springer

{{Short description|American test pilot and astronaut (born 1942)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name          = Bob Springer
|image         = Robert Springer.jpg
|birth_name    = Robert Clyde Springer
|birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1942|5|21}}
|birth_place   = [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], U.S.
|death_date    = 
|death_place   = 
|education     = [[United States Naval Academy]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Naval Postgraduate School]] ([[Master of Science|MS]])
|type          = [[NASA astronaut]]
|rank          = [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]], [[United States Marine Corps|USMC]]
|time          = 9d 21h 32m
|selection     = [[NASA Astronaut Group 9|NASA Group 9 (1980)]]
|mission       = [[STS-29]]<br>[[STS-38]]
|insignia      = [[File:Sts-29-patch.png|48px]] [[File:Sts-38-patch.png|48px]]
}}
'''Robert Clyde Springer''' (born May 21, 1942<ref name=nasabio>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/springer_robert.pdf |title=ROBERT C. (BOB) SPRINGER (COLONEL, USMC, RET.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)|publisher=NASA |date=June 2011 |access-date=June 18, 2021}}{{NASA}}</ref>) is a retired American [[astronaut]] and [[test pilot]] who flew as a [[mission specialist]] on two [[NASA]] [[Space Shuttle]] missions in 1989 and 1990. A decorated [[United States Marine Corps Aviation|aviator]] in the [[United States Marine Corps]], Springer also flew more than 500 [[Aerial warfare|combat sorties]] during the [[Vietnam War]]. He has logged over 237 hours in [[Outer space|space]] and 4,500 hours flying time, including 3,500 hours in [[jet aircraft]].<ref name=nasabio/>

==Pre-spaceflight experience==
Springer was born May 21, 1942, in [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. He was active in the [[Boy Scouts of America]] where he achieved its second-highest rank, [[Life Scout]]. He graduated from [[Ashland High School (Ohio)|Ashland High School]] in [[Ashland, Ohio]] in 1960. He received a [[Commissioned officer|commission]] in the U.S. Marine Corps following his 1964 graduation from the [[United States Naval Academy]] in [[Annapolis, Maryland]] with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in Naval Science. Springer attended [[The Basic School]] at [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]], [[Virginia]] before reporting to the [[Naval Air Training Command]] for flight training at [[Pensacola, Florida]] and [[Beeville, Texas]].

Upon receiving his [[Naval Aviator|aviator]] [[United States Aviator Badge|wings]] in August 1966, he was assigned to [[VMFA-513]] at the [[Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point]], [[North Carolina]]. There Springer flew [[F-4 Phantom II]] [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]]s. He was subsequently assigned to [[VMFA-115]] at [[Chu Lai]] in [[South Vietnam]], where he completed 300 F-4 combat missions. In June 1968, Springer served as an advisor to the [[Republic of Korea Marine Corps|South Korean Marine Corps]] units in Vietnam and flew 250 [[Aerial warfare|combat missions]] in [[O-1 Bird Dog]]s and [[UH-1 Iroquois]] "Huey" [[helicopter]]s.

Springer returned to the United States to attend the U.S. [[Naval Postgraduate School]] in [[Monterey, California]], receiving a [[Master of Science]] degree in [[Operations Research]] and [[Systems Analysis]] in 1971. In March 1971 he was assigned to the [[3rd Marine Aircraft Wing]] at [[MCAS El Toro]], [[California]], where he became Wing operations analysis officer.

He flew UH-1Es in 1972 while with [[HML-267]] at [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|Camp Pendleton]], California and then went to [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] in Japan to fly UH-1Es with [[HML-367]], [[1st Marine Aircraft Wing]]. Springer flew F-4 Phantom II fighters as an aircraft maintenance officer with [[VMFA-451]] in [[Beaufort, South Carolina]] and also attended what was then called [[Navy Fighter Weapons School]] ("[[TOPGUN]]").

A 1975 graduate of the [[U.S. Naval Test Pilot School]] at [[NAS Patuxent River]], [[Maryland]], he served as Head of the Ordnance Systems branch and as a test pilot for more than 20 different types of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. In this capacity, he performed the first flights in the [[Bell AH-1 SuperCobra|AH-1T]] helicopter. He graduated from the [[Armed Forces Staff College]] in [[Norfolk, Virginia]] in 1978, and was assigned to Headquarters Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, where he assumed responsibility for joint operational planning for Marine Forces in [[NATO]] and the [[Middle East]]. He was serving as aide-de-camp for the Commanding General, [[Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic]], when advised of his selection by NASA in May 1980.

==NASA experience==
Springer became an astronaut in August 1981. His technical assignments included support crew for [[STS-3]], concept development studies for the Space Operations Center, and the coordination of various aspects of the final development of the [[Canadarm|Remote Manipulator System]] ("Canadarm") for operational use. He worked at [[Mission Control]] in the [[Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center]] as the [[Capsule communicator|CAPCOM]] for seven flights between 1984 and 1985.

Springer was responsible for [[Astronaut Office]] coordination of Design Requirements Reviews and Design Certification Reviews. These review efforts encompassed the total recertification and reverification of the Shuttle prior to [[STS-26]] return to flight status. He flew as a [[mission specialist]] on [[STS-29]] in 1989, and [[STS-38]] in 1990.

Springer retired from NASA and the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1990.

===STS-29===
[[Space Shuttle Discovery|Space Shuttle ''Discovery'']] (March 13–18, 1989) was launched from [[Kennedy Space Center]]. During 80 orbits of the [[Earth]] on this highly successful five-day mission, the crew deployed a [[Tracking and Data Relay Satellite]], and performed numerous secondary experiments, including a Space Station "heat pipe" radiator experiment, two student experiments, a protein crystal growth experiment, and a chromosome and plant cell division experiment. In addition, the crew took over 4,000 photographs of the Earth using several types of cameras, including the [[IMAX]] 70&nbsp;mm movie camera. Mission duration was 119 hours and concluded with a landing at [[Edwards Air Force Base]], California.

===STS-38===
[[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Space Shuttle ''Atlantis'']] (November 15–20, 1990) was launched at night from Kennedy Space Center. During the five-day mission the crew conducted [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] operations. After 80 orbits of the Earth, ''Atlantis'' and her crew landed back at the Kennedy Space Center, in the first Shuttle recovery in Florida since 1985.

==Awards and honors==
[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]], [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]], [[Air Medal]] (21st award), [[Navy Commendation Medal]] (2nd award), [[Navy Achievement Medal]], [[Combat Action Ribbon]], [[NASA Space Flight Medal]], [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]], [[Navy Unit Citation]], and various Vietnam Campaign ribbons and service awards.<ref name=nasabio/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/springer_robert.pdf |title=ROBERT C. (BOB) SPRINGER (COLONEL, USMC, RET.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)|publisher=NASA |date=June 2011 |access-date=June 18, 2021}}

{{NASA Astronaut Group 9}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Springer, Robert C.}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps astronauts]]
[[Category:Military personnel from St. Louis]]
[[Category:People from Ashland, Oregon]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni]]
[[Category:United States Naval Test Pilot School alumni]]
[[Category:Joint Forces Staff College alumni]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps colonels]]
[[Category:United States Naval Aviators]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:American test pilots]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Oregon]]