Alan Bean is a former NASA astronaut and the fourth person ever to walk on the moon. Born in Texas, Bean received his Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Texas and then embarked on a four year stint as a fighter pilot assigned to a jet attack squadron in Jacksonville, FL. He went on to train as a Navy Test Pilot which is where he met Pete Conrad, his future Apollo 12 Commander.
In 1963, NASA selected Bean as a third level astronaut after which he served as a back-up for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In November of 1969, Captain Bean and Captain Pete Conrad flew Apollo 12 some 250,000 and made history as they landed on the moon’s Ocean of Storms. They explored the lunar surface, deployed several lunar surface experiments and installed the first nuclear power generator station on the moon to use as a power source. Captain Richard Gordon, also on the trip, remained in lunar orbit photographing possible landing sites for future missions.Captain Bean was spacecraft commander of Skylab Mission II (SL -3) which took place from July to September 1973. Skylab Mission II was the first manned Skylab mission and its purpose was to monitor the space station and fix the damage caused by the station’s launch. Upon completing the mission, the Skylab II crew set a new manned spaceflight endurance record which had previously been held by the Russians.
On his next assignment, Captain Bean was back-up spacecraft commander of the United States flight crew for the joint American-Russian Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
Captain Bean has logged 1,671 hours and 45 minutes in space. He has flown 27 types of military aircraft as well as many civilian planes. Bean has helped establish 11 world records in space and astronautics and was awarded two distinguished service medals from NASA. He has also received awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Texas Press Association, the University of Texas and the Federation Aeronautique International, to name a few.
Bean retired from NASA in June 1981 to devote his time to painting. His decision was based on the fact that in his 18 years as an astronaut, he was fortunate enough to visit worlds and see sights that no artist’s eye, past or present, has ever viewed firsthand. Over the years, Bean’s art has evolved into a mixture of painting and sculpture, textured with lunar tools, sprinkled with bits of Apollo spacecraft and a touch of moon dust.
Bean resides with his wife in Houston, TX.
Alan Bean, former NASA astronaut, is available through IMG Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. Alan Bean is also available for meet and greets, panel discussions, corporate meetings and events, business seminars and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Alan Bean.
