Walter Cunningham
Ronnie Walter Cunningham was born in Creston, Iowa, on the 16th of March 1932. He grew up watching movies that shaped his future path. A film called Hell Divers inspired him to join the Naval Air Corps around 1940. He graduated from Venice High School in Los Angeles, California, in 1950. The science building at his high school now bears his name as Cunningham Hall. He attended Santa Monica College with plans to become an architect before changing course. In 1951 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve in the Korean War. He took a two-year college equivalency test to qualify for service. Flight training began in 1952 and he served as a fighter pilot from 1953 until 1956. He flew 54 missions as a night fighter pilot during the conflict. Armistice discussions were ongoing when he left for Korea. The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed just before he arrived. He remained in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1956 to 1975. He retired at the rank of colonel after decades of service.
NASA selected Walter Cunningham as one of its third group of astronauts in October 1963. He became NASA's third civilian astronaut following Neil Armstrong and Elliot See. On the 11th of October 1968 he occupied the Lunar Module Pilot seat for the eleven-day flight of Apollo 7. This mission marked the first launch of a crewed Apollo spacecraft. The flight carried no Lunar Module despite his title. Cunningham managed all spacecraft systems except launch and navigation. The crew conducted myriad system tests throughout their time in orbit. They successfully completed test firing of the service module engine. They measured the accuracy of various spacecraft systems. He accumulated more than 4,500 hours of flying time by this point. Over 3,400 hours were spent in jet aircraft. He logged 263 hours in space during this single mission. His work on Apollo 7 demonstrated technical competence under pressure.
Following the Apollo 7 mission Cunningham went on to head up the Skylab branch of the Astronaut Office. He led this division at Johnson Space Center from 1968 to 1971. In this role he coordinated operational development of Skylab hardware. He handled system integration and habitability concerns for the station. Cunningham stated that he was informally offered the position of mission commander for Skylab 2. The position was officially given to Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad instead. Cunningham received an offer as backup commander after the decision. He left NASA in 1971 following these personnel changes. His departure marked the end of his government service career. He had served as a key figure in early space station planning efforts.
In 1974 Cunningham attended Harvard Business School's six-week Advanced Management Program. He transitioned into business and investment activities after leaving NASA. He published The All-American Boys, a reminiscence of his astronaut days, in 1977. He contributed significantly to the 2007 space history book In the Shadow of the Moon. He wrote the foreword for that publication. In 2018 he joined the Back to Space organization as an Astronaut Consultant. His goal involved inspiring the next generation to go to Mars. He became a radio talk-show host and public speaker. He worked as a consultant to start-up technology companies. He served as chairman of the Texas Aerospace Commission. These roles reflected his shift from government service to private enterprise.
Walter Cunningham rejected the scientific consensus on climate change in later years. His biography page at the Coalition stated that since 2000 he has been writing about what he called a hoax. He claimed humans were not controlling the temperature of the earth. In 2010 he published a short book titled Global Warming: Facts versus Faith. An editorial appeared in the Houston Chronicle on the 15th of August 2010. He argued that empirical evidence did not support global warming theories. In 2012 he and other former astronauts sent a critical letter to NASA. They highlighted unproven assertions regarding man-made carbon dioxide. The group believed carbon dioxide was not a major factor in global warming. This stance created controversy among scientific communities and former colleagues.
Cunningham received numerous national and international honors throughout his life. NASA awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal for his Apollo 7 mission in 2008. He also earned the Exceptional Service Medal during his career. The AIAA gave him the Haley Astronautics Award in 1969. UCLA presented him with a Professional Achievement Award in 1969. He won a Special Trustees Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1969. The American Legion bestowed the Medal of Valor upon him in 1975. The American Conservative Union recognized him with an Outstanding American Award in 1975. He was listed in Who's Who publications. The George Haddaway Award came to him in 2000. He entered the Houston Hall of Fame later in life. The International Space Hall of Fame inducted him in 1983. The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame honored him in 1997. Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame inducted him in 2003. The San Diego Air & Space Museum inducted him into their International Air & Space Hall of Fame in 2011. The National Aviation Hall of Fame inducted him in 2018.
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Common questions
When was Walter Cunningham born and where did he grow up?
Ronnie Walter Cunningham was born in Creston, Iowa, on the 16th of March 1932. He grew up watching movies that shaped his future path before graduating from Venice High School in Los Angeles, California, in 1950.
What mission did Walter Cunningham fly as Lunar Module Pilot for NASA?
Walter Cunningham occupied the Lunar Module Pilot seat for the eleven-day flight of Apollo 7 on the 11th of October 1968. This mission marked the first launch of a crewed Apollo spacecraft despite carrying no actual Lunar Module.
Why did Walter Cunningham leave NASA in 1971 after leading Skylab operations?
Cunningham left NASA in 1971 following personnel changes where the position of mission commander for Skylab 2 went to Pete Conrad instead. He received an offer as backup commander but departed shortly after these decisions ended his government service career.
What controversial views did Walter Cunningham hold about climate change starting in 2000?
Since 2000 Walter Cunningham has written about what he called a hoax claiming humans were not controlling the temperature of the earth. In 2010 he published Global Warming: Facts versus Faith and argued that empirical evidence did not support global warming theories.
Which halls of fame have inducted Walter Cunningham throughout his life?
The International Space Hall of Fame inducted him in 1983 and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame honored him in 1997. Additional inductions include the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame in 2003, the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 2011, and the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2018.