Spence M. Armstrong

Armstrong was born in 1934 in Columbia, Tennessee, and graduated from Hay Long High School in 1951. He spent a year at Vanderbilt University before entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1956, he graduated with distinction earning a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.[1][2] Armstrong accepted his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.[3]

Armstrong earned his pilot's wings in 1957 after completing flight training at Greenville Air Force Base in Mississippi. He attended F-86 Sabre gunnery school at Williams AFB, Arizona, followed by F-100 Super Sabre gunnery school at Nellis AFB, Nevada. In April 1958, Armstrong was assigned to the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina.[1] After three years flying F-100s, he attended the University of Michigan, where he earned master's degrees in astronautical engineering and instrumentation engineering.[3] In 1963, Armstrong was assigned to Holloman AFB in New Mexico, where he served as a guidance and control engineer.[1]

Flight test and Vietnam

USAF TPS Class 64C. Armstrong is standing, fourth from the left

In 1964, Armstrong was selected to attend the Aerospace Research Pilot School (now known as the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School) at Edwards AFB, California. He graduated with Class 64C, the third class to start in 1964.[4] In 1965, Armstrong was assigned as the F-106 Delta Dart test project officer at Holloman AFB. After two years in flight test, Armstrong prepared for a combat tour in Southeast Asia by completing F-105 Thunderchief combat crew training at McConnell AFB, Kansas. He was assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron based at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand where he flew 100 combat missions during the Vietnam War in the F-105. In July 1968, Armstrong returned to flight test as an instructor and later as the deputy commandant at the Aerospace Research Pilot School.[1]

Dan Goldin, John Adamczyk, and Spence Armstrong at NASA's Turning Goals Into Reality aviation conference

After retiring from military service, Armstrong joined President George H. W. Bush's Space Exploration Initiative as director of program architecture for the Synthesis Group that was charged with developing architectures to return astronauts to the Moon and then to Mars.[3] In 1991, he was named associate administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Human Resources and Education office where he helped create industry-recognized programs for the development of executives and program managers.[2]

In 1998, Armstrong was named associate administrator for the Office of Aerospace and Space Transportation Technology responsible for measuring progress on NASA's ten goals that supported the three pillars of global civil aviation, revolutionary technology, and access to space.[5][6] At the Turning Goals Into Reality aviation conference, he hosted a celebration of individual and team accomplishments toward these goals.[3]

In 2000, Armstrong was named senior advisor to the NASA administrator. Armstrong directed the agency's efforts to find new ways of increasing participation with universities and industry.[2] Armstrong's areas of responsibilities included export control, information technology, security, and grants.[3] He initiated and moderated a series of interactive webcasts with universities and colleges that included presentations of new partnership opportunities with NASA and question-and-answer sessions with agency leaders.[7] After three years in charge of university programs for NASA and eleven years with the agency, Armstrong retired on December 31, 2002.[8][3]

As of 2002, Armstrong and wife Beth (née Webb) have two children and four grandchildren. In his career, he flew over 50 different types of aircraft and logged over 4,500 hours of flying time.[2] As of 2014, Armstrong remains active in aviation sharing his experiences with the public.[9]

• Air Education and Training Command
• List of U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School alumni
• List of United States Naval Academy alumni
• NASA awards and decorations
• National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program
• Reusable launch system

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spence M. Armstrong.

• Plunkett, W. H. (July 21, 2015). "Spence M. "Sam" Armstrong F-105 History" (PDF). 34tfsthuds.us. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
• Nassr, Mike (January–February 2004). "From Navy Blue to Air Force Blue" (PDF). Shipmate. Annapolis, Marland: United States Naval Academy Class of 1956. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
• Smith, Robert W. (August 11, 2010). "388th Tactical Fighter Wing". nf104.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.