Michael ‘Rich’ Clifford, a NASA astronaut who flew three space shuttle missions, died late Tuesday due to complications with Parkinson’s Disease – he was 69 years old.
Clifford’s death was announced by the Association of Space Explorers, a profession organization for astronauts and cosmonauts, on Twitter at 11:56pm ET.
Born on October 13, 1952 in San Bernardino California, Clifford was chosen in 1990 to participate in NASA’s 13th group of spaceflight trainees and in 1992, he launched into space aboard the Discovery space shuttle.
Clifford, however, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1994, but the astronaut did not let it destroy his life: He completed his third mission and first spaceflight while suffering in silence.
Michael ‘Rich’ Clifford, a NASA astronaut who flew three space shuttle missions, died late Tuesday due to complications with Parkinson’s Disease – he was 69 years old.
‘So many things went through my head when I began to learn more about my condition, but I was resolute and determined not to let it affect my outlook,’ Clifford shared with Parkinson.org.
‘The medical community respected my privacy and only those senior NASA managers with a need to know were informed.
‘They asked me what I wanted to do, and my response was quick: I wanted to remain on flight status and remain in the cue for a future space flight. I wanted to remain an astronaut.’
Clifford’s wife Nancy Elizabeth Brunson, and his two sons Richard Benjamin Clifford Clifford and Brandon Brunson Clifford are still with him.
Clifford was survived by his spouse Nancy Elizabeth Brunson as well as two of their sons Richard Benjamin Clifford Clifford, and Brandon Brunson Clifford.
Clifford was chosen in 1990 to participate in NASA’s 13th group of spaceflight trainees and in 1992, he launched into space aboard the Discovery space shuttle. Clifford launched on April 24, 1994, his second spaceflight (pictured), as one of the mission specialists.
Although the astronaut was born and raised in California, Ogden is Utah where he calls home. He moved to Ogden at an early age.
In 1974, he received a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, as well as a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology, in 1982.
Clifford’s first flight, which took place on the Discovery, lasted for a week and included four other astronauts who landed back on Earth on December 9, 1992.
Clifford and his STS-59 crewmates operated the Space Radar Laboratory, a payload that provides scientists the information they need to differentiate human-induced environmental changes from natural ones.
Clifford, six months later as one of the mission specialists on the Endeavour spaceship, took his second spaceflight in April 1994.
Clifford was part of the STS59 crew that operated the Space Radar Laboratory. This payload is designed to provide scientists with data to help distinguish between human-induced and natural environmental change.
And shortly after missions is when Clifford was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
‘Thankfully the NASA flight surgeons, senior NASA management, and my family supported me, and I was granted return-to-flight status under the condition that I would be watched closely by the flight surgeons,’ Clifford shared in a blog post on Parkinson.org
Clifford launched his third spaceflight on March 22, 1996, STS76 (pictured). However, the four other crew members didn’t know about Clifford’s diagnosis.
‘I also knew that I could not disclose my condition publicly.’
Clifford was the third person to launch in spaceflight STS-76 on March 22, 1996. However, none of his crew knew his condition and he wasn’t allowed to do a spacewalk or other extra-vehicular activities (EVA) during his mission.
‘I informed management that I wanted to do the EVA and that I didn’t know there were limitations imposed on my capabilities,’ Clifford stated.
Clifford, Linda Godwin, and Mir were involved in an extravehicular activity of 28 seconds (EVA) lasting six hours. They attached four experiments using Mir’s docking station module. These tests characterized the surrounding environment.
‘I think they were actually surprised by my desire to perform the space walk, despite my condition.’
Clifford and Linda Godwin added four experiments to Mir’s docking module during the EVA. They characterized the stations environment.
‘Looking back, I recognize the difficult decision NASA senior management made in assigning me to STS-76,’ stated Clifford.
‘I am thankful to have had the full support of the Flight Surgeons, Dr. Joe Jankovic, and Johnson Space Center management.
‘They presented my capabilities to the NASA Headquarters Space Flight Medical Review board and I know it was not an easy decision for the board and senior management to clear me for flight.
‘I am grateful for their support in realizing the risk they took with me when there were dozens of other qualified astronauts who could have performed this mission. It is a testimony to their certification processes that they were assured I could perform the mission.’
Clifford decided to not return to space after he landed back on Earth, March 31, 1996. Clifford didn’t know the speed of his illness and decided to resign from NASA and NASA in January 1997. He had spent 27 days in space, and completed 443 orbits around Earth.