Bill Dana never walked on the moon, or flew the space shuttle. He wasn’t even recognized as an astronaut until a special ceremony held in 2005, to commemorate his X-15 flights to the edge of space in the 1960s. Dana was, however, every bit the space pioneer.

On the day NASA was officially established, October 1, 1958, the agency hired Bill Dana. It was not a surprising choice. Dana was both a aeronautical engineer and a test pilot, able to fly the aircraft he designed. His first assignments involved the design of a performance simulator for the X-15 rocket plane and stability and control research for the F-107A fighter prototype.

For three decades, starting in 1959, at the Flight Operations Branch of what is now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Dana served as a research pilot. While serving in this capacity he worked on the rocket powered X-15 and the HL-10, M2-F3, and X-24B lifting bodies which contributed to the creation of the Space Shuttle program. He also flew the F-14, F-15, F-16, and YF-17 jet fighters, the X-29 forward-swept-wing technology demonstrator and the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle which was the first craft to use multi-axis thrust vectoring for vehicle control.

In 1986, Dana was appointed chief pilot and was responsible for recruiting and training the next generation of NASA test pilots. Then, in 1993, he retired from flying and became the center’s chief engineer. He oversaw all of the center’s research projects and was responsible for flight safety until he retired in 1998, 40 years after he helped start NASA.

After retirement Dana became a NASA historian. Seven months after leaving NASA  he returned as an employee of Analytical Services and Materials, Inc., to write analytical histories of various programs. During a period of budget cuts, Dana gave up his salary and continued as a volunteer with the  Armstrong Flight Research Center’s research office.

During his career, Bill Dana was awarded the AIAA Haley Space Flight Award (1976), the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1976), the Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor (1993), the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1997) and the Milton O. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).

Dana passed away on Tuesday, May 6 after a prolonged illness.