October has produced several notable space travelers, from early test pilots to Moon mission veterans. This list puts those birthdays into context and why they matter to space history.
There are 8 Astronauts Born in October, ranging from Charles Duke to William Anders. For each, the data is organized as Birthdate (YYYY-MM-DD),Nationality / Agency,Notable (<=15 words); you'll find below.
Astronauts Born in October
| Name | Birthdate (YYYY-MM-DD) | Nationality / Agency | Notable (<=15 words) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Collins | 1930-10-31 | American / NASA | Apollo 11 command module pilot; orbited the Moon. |
| Charles Duke | 1935-10-03 | American / NASA | Apollo 16 lunar module pilot; walked on the Moon. |
| Richard Gordon | 1929-10-05 | American / NASA | Gemini 11 pilot; Apollo 12 command module pilot. |
| William Anders | 1933-10-17 | American / NASA | Apollo 8 lunar module pilot; took “Earthrise” photo. |
| Mae Jemison | 1956-10-17 | American / NASA | First African-American woman in space (STS-47). |
| Kathryn D. Sullivan | 1951-10-03 | American / NASA | First US woman to walk in space (STS-41-G). |
| Pavel Popovich | 1930-10-05 | Soviet / Soviet space program | Vostok 4 pilot; early Soviet cosmonaut. |
| Georgi Dobrovolsky | 1928-10-01 | Soviet / Soviet space program | Commander of Soyuz 11; died during re-entry. |
Images and Descriptions
Michael Collins
Michael Collins was an American astronaut and test pilot who served as command module pilot on Apollo 11, orbiting the Moon while Armstrong and Aldrin walked. He also flew Gemini 10 and later held NASA and public service roles.
Charles Duke
Charles Duke is a retired American astronaut who served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 16 and walked on the Moon. After NASA he remained active in aviation and public outreach, serving as an Air Force officer and motivational speaker.
Richard Gordon
Richard Gordon was an American naval officer and astronaut who piloted Gemini 11 and served as command module pilot on Apollo 12. He remained in orbit during the lunar landing and later worked in private industry and aerospace consulting.
William Anders
William “Bill” Anders is an American astronaut and engineer who flew on Apollo 8, the first crewed lunar orbit mission, and captured the iconic “Earthrise” photograph. He later worked in government, energy and international diplomacy.
Mae Jemison
Mae Jemison is an American physician, engineer and former NASA astronaut who became the first African-American woman in space on STS-47. She later founded technology and education ventures and champions science literacy and STEM outreach.
Kathryn D. Sullivan
Kathryn D. Sullivan is an American geologist and astronaut who became the first US woman to perform a spacewalk on STS-41-G. She flew three shuttle missions, later led NOAA, and remains active in science and policy.
Pavel Popovich
Pavel Popovich was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut, one of the early members of the cosmonaut corps who flew Vostok 4 in 1962. He later held leadership roles in Soviet space organizations and received numerous honors for his service.
Georgi Dobrovolsky
Georgi Dobrovolsky was a Soviet cosmonaut who commanded Soyuz 11 and died with his crewmates during re-entry after the first successful crewed mission to Salyut 1. He is remembered for his role in pioneering long-duration spaceflight.
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