George F. Page, deputy director of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) from July 1982
until his retirement in October 1984, died Feb. 26, 2002. During the course
of his aerospace career, George Page was involved in all of the U.S. human
space flight programs from Mercury to the Space Shuttle. He was 77.
“All of us at KSC are saddened by the loss of George,” said KSC Director Roy
Bridges. “His leadership set the standard of excellence, and his
contribution to human space flight continues to be felt with each successive
mission. We are thankful for his great legacy.”
From 1952 to 1963, before joining NASA, Page’s professional experience
included five years as a launch operations engineer with General Dynamics
Corp. and six years as a flight test engineer with the Westinghouse Electric
Corp.
Page joined NASA in June 1963 as a spacecraft test conductor on the Gemini
Program. He then became the chief spacecraft test conductor for Gemini and
Apollo launch operations and was chief of the Spacecraft Operations Division
for Apollo, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project launch operations. He
also served as director of Expendable Vehicles Operations and director of
Cargo Operations. During his tenure as director of KSC Shuttle Operations
beginning in 1979, he was the launch director for the first three Space
Shuttle missions.
Page was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and attended school in Harrisburg, Pa.
After service in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he earned a
bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Pennsylvania State
University in 1952. He is survived by his wife Lois, three children, and
six grandchildren.
