- Born
- DiedSeptember 23, 1998 (sailplane crash)
- Birth nameOran Wesley Nicks
- Nickname
- O.W.
- Oran W. Nicks was born on February 2, 1925 in Eldorado, Texas, USA. He was married to Phyllis Vivian Beadel. He died on September 23, 1998.
- SpousePhyllis Vivian Beadel(May 14, 1955 - September 23, 1998) (his death, 2 children)
- Spent 2 years in the Army Air Corps, 12 years as an engineer for North American Aviation and Chance Vought companies, 20 years as program-center director for NASA and 16 years as research engineer-center director at Texas A&M University. His publications include two books on space flight and over 100 papers and reports on aerodynamics, aircraft and spacecraft design and applications.
- At NASA he was Director of Lunar and Planetary Programs from 1961-67, where he was responsible for thirty Ranger, Surveyor, Lunar Orbiter and Mariner missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. During 1967-70, he served as Deputy Associate Administrator of Space Science and Applications and as Associate Administrator for Advanced Research and Technology. From 1970 to 1980 he was Deputy Director of the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia which was responsible for the Viking Mars Program and other aerospace activities.
- Died when he crashed making an off-field landing in his newly built PW-5 sailplane (glider).
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