Date of Birth: March 15, 1932
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Date of Death: May 26, 2018
Biography
Alan LaVern Bean was an American naval officer, aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut born on March 15, 1932, in Wheeler, Texas. He is best known as the fourth human to walk on the Moon, a feat he accomplished during the Apollo 12 mission in November 1969. Bean graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering, after which he joined the United States Navy and became a test pilot. Bean was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1963 as part of Astronaut Group 3. His first spaceflight was as the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 12, the second lunar landing mission. Along with mission commander Charles “Pete” Conrad, Bean explored the Ocean of Storms on the Moon, conducting experiments and collecting lunar samples. They spent a total of 31 hours on the lunar surface. Following Apollo 12, Bean commanded the Skylab 3 mission in 1973, spending 59 days in space aboard the United States’ first space station, Skylab. After retiring from NASA in 1981, he pursued his passion for painting, focusing on artistic depictions of lunar missions and space exploration. His artwork stands out for its unique perspective, as he was one of the few artists who had personally experienced walking on the Moon. Alan Bean passed away on May 26, 2018, leaving behind a legacy of exploration and artistic expression.
5 Interesting Facts about Alan Bean
1. Alan Bean was the fourth person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 12 mission.
2. After retiring from NASA, Bean became a professional artist, focusing on space-themed paintings.
3. Bean spent a total of 69 days, 15 hours, and 45 minutes in space over his two missions.
4. He was known for his sense of humor and once famously said he was “the only artist to have ever been to another world.”
5. Bean used actual Moon dust embedded in the acrylic paints he used for his lunar-themed artwork.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Alan Bean
1. “I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world. I got to go to the Moon. I got to do what I wanted to do.”
2. “It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. So peaceful, so quiet, and it had a quality of being alive.”
3. “The world has always been larger than our imaginations.”
4. “I think everything we do in space is part of exploration. The space station is a part of it, but going to the Moon is part of it too.”
5. “When I look at the Moon, I think of it as a place that we’re going to go back to.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Alan Bean’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $5 million at the time of his death.
Children
Alan Bean had two children with his first wife, Sue Ragsdale. Their names are Amy Sue Bean and Clay Bean.
Relevant Links
1. [NASA Biography](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/bean_alan.pdf
2. [Alan Bean Art](https://www.alanbean.com/
3. [Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum](https://airandspace.si.edu/people/alan-lavern-bean
5. [Space.com Tribute](https://www.space.com/40699-alan-bean-apollo-astronaut-obituary.html
