09/05/2026
JOHN YOUNG: THE ASTRONAUT WHO DID IT ALL
Few astronauts in history can match the career of John Young.
He flew six space missions across three generations of spaceflight Gemini, Apollo, and the Space Shuttle.
Gemini 3 — Young flew on the first crewed Gemini mission.
�Gemini 10 — He commanded a mission that rendezvoused with two separate spacecraft.
�🌕 Apollo 10 — He flew around the Moon as command module pilot, helping pave the way for Apollo 11.
�🌕 Apollo 16 — He commanded the mission, walked on the Moon with Charlie Duke, drove the lunar rover, and helped collect more than 200 pounds of lunar samples.
�STS-1 — He commanded Columbia on the very first Space Shuttle flight, one of the boldest test flights in spaceflight history.
�STS-9 — He commanded the first Shuttle mission to carry Spacelab.
And here’s one of the most incredible facts:
John Young is the only person to fly in the Gemini, Apollo, AND Space Shuttle spacecrafts. He was also the first person to make six trips into space.
From the Moon to the Space Shuttle, John Young didn’t just witness the evolution of spaceflight he helped lead it.
Which John Young accomplishment impresses you the most?