Alan LaVern Bean was an American naval officer, aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot and NASA astronaut noted for being the fourth person to walk on the Moon. Born in 1932, he rose through naval aviation and test-pilot ranks before joining NASA's third astronaut group in 1963. Bean flew to the Moon in November 1969 and later commanded a Skylab crew; after leaving flight status he became a widely recognized artist whose work drew on his lunar experiences.

Early career and training

Bean trained and served as a naval officer and pilot, a path that combined military flying with engineering and evaluation work. He served as a Captain, U.S. Navy and worked as an aviator before attending test-pilot training. His technical background included work as an aeronautical engineer and test pilot, skills that were typical prerequisites for the astronaut corps during the 1960s.

NASA selection and spaceflights

Selected by NASA in 1963 as part of Astronaut Group 3, Bean served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, the second crewed landing mission. During Apollo 12 he and Commander Pete Conrad performed lunar surface work in November 1969; Bean thereby became the fourth person to set foot on the Moon. He later commanded a crewed Skylab mission, broadening his in-space command experience beyond the Apollo program. For more on the Apollo assignment see NASA astronaut biographies.

  • Apollo 12 — lunar module pilot; second manned lunar landing.
  • Skylab mission — commander of a long-duration station flight in the early 1970s.
  • Selected for NASA in 1963: part of the era that supplied crews for Apollo and Skylab programs. See the historical context at related program pages.

Later life and artistic work

After leaving active flight status and later NASA, Bean pursued painting and sculpture, translating his firsthand lunar memories into art. He became known for works that incorporated themes of exploration and human presence on another world; some pieces used materials and motifs drawn from spaceflight. His art brought a personal, narrative dimension to public memory of the Apollo era.

Alan Bean died in Houston on May 26, 2018, after a brief illness. He is remembered both for his role in human lunar exploration and for his efforts to interpret those experiences through creative work. For biographical details and mission summaries, consult archived astronaut profiles and program histories referenced above via the links in this article.