- Astronaut.
- Crew member on Apollo 9 mission, 1969.
- On Apollo 9 he flew with Jim McDivitt and Dave Scott in earth orbit. In ten days, the astronauts tested the lunar module (Spider), separated and re-docked with the command module (Gumdrop) and McDivitt performed an EVA between the two spacecraft without any securing tether.
- Schweickart was founder and president of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), the international professional society of astronauts and cosmonauts. The organization promotes the cooperative exploration and development of space and the use of space technology for human benefit. The ASE has a current membership of over 300 astronauts and cosmonauts from 29 nations. The Association's first book, The Home Planet, with a preface by Schweickart, was published simultaneously in 10 nations in the Fall of 1988 and was an immediate international best seller.
- Schweickart's satellite and telecommunications work involved him in the development of international communications regulations and policies, including participation in the 1992 and 1995 World Radiocommunications Conferences (WRC) of the International Telecommunications Union. He served at the 1995 WRC as a U.S. delegate. He also worked extensively in Russia and the former Soviet Union on scientific and telecommunications matters.
- After the Skylab program, Schweickart went to NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, as Director of User Affairs in the Office of Applications. In this position, he was responsible for transferring NASA technology to the outside world and working with technology users to bring an understanding of their needs into NASA.
- Schweickart served as backup commander for the first Skylab mission, which flew in the spring of 1973. Following the loss of the thermal shield during the launch of the Skylab vehicle, he assumed responsibility for the development of hardware and procedures associated with erecting the emergency solar shade and deployment of the jammed solar array wing, operations which transformed Skylab from an imminent disaster to a highly successful program.
- Schweickart was a research scientist at the Experimental Astronomy Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His work at MIT involved research in upper atmospheric physics, star tracking and the stabilization of stellar images. His thesis for a master's degree at MIT was an experimental validation of theoretical models of stratospheric radiance.
- Schweickart joined NASA as one of 14 astronauts named in October, 1963, the third group of astronauts selected. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 9, March 3-13, 1969, logging 241 hours in space. This was the third manned flight of the Apollo series and the first manned flight of the lunar module. During a 46-minute EVA, Schweickart tested the portable life support backpack, which was subsequently used on the lunar surface explorations.
- In 1977, Schweickart joined the staff of Governor Jerry Brown of California, and served in the Governor's office for two years as his assistant for science and technology. In 1979, Schweickart was appointed to the post of Commissioner of Energy for the State of California and served on the Commission for five and a half years. The Commission, which was chaired by Schweickart for three and a half years, was responsible for all aspects of energy regulation in the state other than rate setting, including energy demand forecasting, alternative energy development, power plant siting and energy performance regulation for appliances and buildings.
- In his marriage to Clare G. Whitfield, they had 3 daughters and 2 sons.
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