William Cameron 'Willie' McCool (1961-2003)

[Orionid]

William Cameron 'Willie' McCool został pośmiertnie awansowany na stopień kapitana.

Today I announced that @USNavy pilot & @NASA astronaut Cmdr. William McCool, is posthumously promoted to the grade of CAPTAIN. I can think of no better way to celebrate his career & lasting legacy than to promote McCool to the rank that he was on track to achieve. @NavalAcademy

https://twitter.com/SECNAV/status/1710775475209900392

William Cameron 'Willie' McCool (23.09.1961-01.02.2003)

427. człowiek w kosmosie.
Jego lot kosmiczny jako pilota w misji STS-107 Columbia trwał do momentu rozpadu orbitera 15d 22g21m 23s.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/mccool_william.pdf

http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/mccool_william.htm
http://www.astronautix.com/m/mccool.html
https://www.worldspaceflight.com/bios/m/mccool-w.php

https://mek.kosmo.cz/bio/usa/00427.htm
http://www.kozmo-data.sk/kozmonauti/mccool-william-cameron.html
https://www.astronaut.ru/index/in_pers/13_058.htm
https://www.april12.eu/usaastron/mccool427ru.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_C._McCool
https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McCool

#Today we remember @NASA #astronaut William "Willie" McCool, born #OTD 9/23/1961. Piloting #SpaceShuttle #Columbia (#STS107) was his first #spaceflight, which ended in tragedy on 2/1/2003 when the Shuttle disintegrated during re-entry and all aboard were lost. Ad astra✨

https://twitter.com/Astro_Cady/status/1838237981078925621

[Orionid]

Astronaucie, który był pilotem misji STS-107 Columbia została dedykowana misja: NG-23 S.S. William “Willie” C. McCool.

Northrop Grumman @northropgrumman 4:01 PM · Aug 18, 2025
With each Commercial Resupply Mission, we name our #Cygnus spacecraft after trailblazer in human exploration. NG-23 will be named after @NASA astronaut, Willie McCool. http://ms.spr.ly/6017srr8P

https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1957442712489148509
https://iss-news.saf-astronomie.fr/2022/07/03/les-noms-de-bapteme-du-cygnus/
https://x.com/spacemen1969/status/1957667253744259561

Northrop Grumman names first Cygnus XL for fallen Columbia pilot

August 18, 2025 — The first "extra-large" U.S. commercial spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station now has a name fitting of its stature.

Northrop Grumman on Monday (Aug. 18) revealed that its first Cygnus XL pressurized cargo module will fly under name of fallen NASA space shuttle pilot William "Willie" C. McCool.


A crane lifts Northrop Grumman NG-23 Cygnus XL spacecraft, the S.S. William "Willie" C. McCool, in the Space Systems Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (NASA/Cory S Huston)
https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-081825a-northrop-grumman-ng23-william-willie-c-mccool.html

[Orionid]

Zdjęcia z SS Cygnus XL.

Expedition 73 astronauts pictured inside the Cygnus XL cargo craft
iss073e0704084 (Sept. 18, 2025) --- Pictured inside the Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo craft are (clockwise from left) Flight Engineers Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, and Jonny Kim of NASA, and Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Highlighted at center, is a poster of William “Willie” McCool, in honor of the NASA astronaut who perished in 2003 during the space shuttle Columbia accident and for whom the Cygnus spacecraft is named.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/54809851085/in/album-72177720319898071

Expedition 73 astronauts pictured inside the Cygnus XL cargo craft
iss073e0704080 (Sept. 18, 2025) --- [...] The four astronauts are wearing personnel protective equipment as is standard protocol to shield their eyes and lungs from potential dust and debris that may have been dislodged during Cygnus launch to the International Space Station. [...]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/54809766323/