Date of Birth: June 2, 1930
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Date of Death: July 8, 1999
Biography
Charles “Pete” Conrad Jr. was an American astronaut, naval officer, aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and entrepreneur. Born on June 2, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Conrad was the third man to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 12 mission. He graduated from Princeton University in 1953 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and soon joined the U.S. Navy where he became a test pilot. Conrad’s career at NASA began when he was selected as part of the second group of astronauts in 1962. Before his historic Apollo 12 mission, he flew on Gemini 5 and Gemini 11, setting endurance and altitude records. Conrad’s sense of humor and technical skills were widely recognized, making him a beloved figure among his colleagues and the public. After leaving NASA in 1973, Conrad had a successful career in the private sector, working with various aerospace companies. He passed away on July 8, 1999, due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
5 Interesting Facts about Pete Conrad
1. Pete Conrad was known for his sense of humor and famously said, “Whoopee! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but it was a long one for me,” when he first set foot on the Moon.
2. Conrad held the altitude record for piloted flight, reaching an apogee of 850 miles during the Gemini 11 mission.
3. He was dyslexic and struggled academically in his early years, but eventually overcame these challenges to become a top student and an astronaut.
4. Conrad piloted the first and only all-Navy crewed spaceflight, Skylab 2, the first manned mission to the Skylab space station.
5. He contributed to the investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Pete Conrad
1. “Whoopee! That may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me.”
2. “I think the exploration and colonization of our solar system is inevitable. It’s just a matter of when.”
3. “If you can survive the Navy, you can survive anything.”
4. “The Moon is a different thing to each one of us.”
5. “There are a lot of people who can get things done. There are a lot of people who can talk. But there are very few people who can do both.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
The highest net worth achieved by Pete Conrad was estimated to be around $2 million at the time of his death in 1999.
Children
Pete Conrad had four children with his first wife, Jane DuBose. Their names are Peter, Thomas, Andrew, and Christopher.
Relevant Links
2. [Pete Conrad on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Conrad
4. [The Space Review: Remembering Pete Conrad](http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3665/1
