Author Topic: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter  (Read 11803 times)

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« on: 07/02/2012 03:54 am »
Retired NASA astronaut Alan "Dex" Poindexter was killed this afternoon in a jet ski accident in Florida.

He was the pilot of Atlantis (STS-122) in Feb. 2008 and Commander of Discovery (STS-131) in April 2010.

Rest In Peace, Dex.

http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_23403.shtml
« Last Edit: 07/02/2012 03:56 am by ChrisGebhardt »

Offline Orbiter

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #1 on: 07/02/2012 03:57 am »
Oh my gosh, this is terrible.

RIP Dex!

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Offline Alpha Control

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #2 on: 07/02/2012 04:18 am »
Thank you Chris G for sharing that. How sad!

He was also a US Navy fighter pilot, with the rank of CAPT. He flew combat flights during Operation Desert Storm, and then became a test pilot at Patuxent River, MD, prior to becoming a NASA astronaut.

Here is the link to his NASA bio:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/poindexter.html

Space launches attended:
Antares/Cygnus ORB-D1 Wallops Island, VA Sept 2013 | STS-123 KSC, FL March 2008 | SpaceShipOne Mojave, CA June 2004

Offline Rahkashi

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #3 on: 07/02/2012 04:35 am »
This is awful. Hopefully he'll rest in peace.

Offline Ford Mustang

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #4 on: 07/02/2012 09:32 am »
We saw him walking around at the National Air and Space Museum when they brought Discovery up mid-April.  How time flies, but it's so short..

Rest in Peace, Dex.

Offline manboy

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #5 on: 07/02/2012 10:04 am »
This is sad.  :(
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Offline NavySpaceFan

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #6 on: 07/02/2012 11:21 am »
I had the pleasure of interviewing CAPT Poindexter for my first book.  We had alot of fun discussing his achievement of the Command at Sea milestone, and what his "black shoe" Surface Warrior dad thought of his "brown shoe" Aviator son and his unique command tour.  RIP sir.
<----First launch of DISCOVERY, STS-41D!!!!

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #7 on: 07/02/2012 11:28 am »
Wow, that's so sad. RIP.
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Offline kcrick

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #8 on: 07/02/2012 11:46 am »

So sad. RIP. :(
Kevin

Offline nethegauner

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #9 on: 07/02/2012 01:02 pm »
Oh my . . .

Due to his involvement with the spectacular and historic Columbus deployment mission, a great many European space fans surely knew his face.

Sad news indeed . . .
« Last Edit: 07/02/2012 01:02 pm by nethegauner »

Offline DaveJ576

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #10 on: 07/02/2012 01:10 pm »
You may stand down sir. I have the watch.

Fair winds and following seas shipmate!
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Offline Lee Jay

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #11 on: 07/02/2012 01:14 pm »
Holy moly - and killed by his son on another jet ski.  I can't imagine the grief that family must be enduring right now.

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #12 on: 07/02/2012 01:32 pm »
What sounded like a wonderful time on the water could turn so tragic. RIP and comfort to those left behind…
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Offline ChrisC

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #13 on: 07/02/2012 08:26 pm »
Article on CNN's space blog:

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/02/retired-nasa-astronaut-alan-poindexter-1961-2012/

It links to brief remembrances on Twitter from Clayton and Nicole.

R.I.P., Dex.
« Last Edit: 07/02/2012 08:35 pm by ChrisC »
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Offline FinalFrontier

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #14 on: 07/02/2012 09:13 pm »
Tragic accident. Really sucks to see someone who made such a contribution die like that.


Rest in peace Dex.
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #15 on: 07/02/2012 09:22 pm »
RELEASE: 12-228

NASA EXTENDS SYMPATHY TO POINDEXTER FAMILY ON DEATH OF FORMER ASTRONAUT

HOUSTON -- Former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Alan
"Dex" Poindexter died while on vacation with his family July 1 in
Pensacola, Fla. A veteran of two spaceflights, Poindexter spent a
total of 28 days in space.

Poindexter, a U.S. Navy captain, commanded the STS-131 space shuttle
Discovery mission to the International Space Station in 2010,
delivering more than 13,000 pounds of hardware and equipment. He was
the pilot for shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission that delivered and
installed the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory on the
station in 2008.

"Alan and I joined the astronaut corps in 1998 and flew together on
STS-122, which was truly an incredible experience," said NASA
Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland
Melvin. "He was a passionate, caring and selfless individual who will
be missed by all."

"We in the astronaut family have lost not only a dear friend, but also
a patriot of the United States," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the
Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "He
proudly served his country for 26 years as a fighter pilot, test
pilot, astronaut and commander of a space shuttle. I am proud to have
both flown in space and worked with him for so many years. Dex will
be deeply missed by those of us at Johnson and the entire NASA
family."

Poindexter earned an undergraduate degree with highest honors from the
Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and a graduate degree from
the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He was selected as
an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and served in the Astronaut
Office, Shuttle Operations Branch at Johnson as the lead support
astronaut for NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He also served
as a spacecraft communicator, or CAPCOM, for multiple missions.

"Dex was a wonderful human being and a pleasure to have in the
astronaut office," Janet Kavandi, fellow astronaut and Director of
Flight Crew Operations said. "His good-natured demeanor made him
approachable to his crews and the many people at Johnson and Kennedy
who enabled his missions."

Poindexter retired from NASA and the astronaut corps in 2010 and
returned to serve in the United States Navy as Dean of Students at
the Naval Postgraduate School.

For Poindexter's complete biography, please visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/poindexter.html
Jacques :-)

Offline Space Pete

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #16 on: 07/02/2012 11:05 pm »
Such a terrible tragedy.

RIP Dex, and thanks for being an inspiration to me and countless others.

Offline jeff122670

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #17 on: 07/02/2012 11:37 pm »
Nickel on the Grass...

:(
Jeff Ray

Offline danduc

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Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #18 on: 07/03/2012 01:15 am »
Very sad. :(

After following all their preparations and spaceflights, we always feel close to them (the astronauts). It's like a part of the family that's gone!!

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Rest In Peace Alan "Dex" Poindexter
« Reply #19 on: 07/03/2012 01:43 am »
We didn't want to rush something on, it'd of been more about the accident and that's not right for this site. With the NASA quotes, it was viable to report and talk about his missions.

So Chris Gebharbt has reviewed his missions in brief and we've mixed in the quotes to create a short article that is respectful and celebrates his role with NASA and the orbiters.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/07/tributes-discoverys-commander-following-passing-alan-poindexter/
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