About
This NASA astronaut and scientist was involved in the missions surrounding Space Shuttle Columbia's fifth flight (STS-5) and Space Shuttle Discovery's second flight (STS-51-A). In addition, during the mid-1970s, he was NASA's Washington, D.C.-based Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs. In 2005, he was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Before Fame
After earning his bachelor's degree in Physics and Mathematics from DePauw University, he received an M.S. and a PhD in Physics from Yale University and went on to become a researcher at the University of Washington's Nuclear Physics Laboratory. He began working for NASA in late 1967.
Trivia
Portrayed by actor Doug McKeon, Allen was featured in a miniseries titled From the Earth to the Moon. He is a member of the American Astronautical Society.
Family Life
He grew up in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He and his wife Bonnie Jo Darling welcomed a son named David in 1968 and a daughter named Elizabeth in 1972.
Associated With
He and fellow astronaut Dale Gardner were both on the crew of NASA's STS 51-A mission.
