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in class 63A and MOL. In 1965, he was selected as one of the first astronauts to the Air Force's classified Manned
Orbital Laboratory. The MOL program, canceled in 1969 before sending any astronauts into space, was to provide a military space station with Air Force astronauts using a modified
260:. In memory of Taylor, the Test Pilot School presented the James M. Taylor Award to the outstanding graduate of the Experimental Test Pilot Course (Phase 1). The award was discontinued after class 71B when the school's curriculum was revised to eliminate the Phase I and II designation.
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After the MOL program cancellation, Taylor continued his USAF career as an instructor at the Test Pilot School and served as deputy commandant. On
September 4, 1970, he and a French Air Force exchange test pilot trainee, Pierre J. du Bucq, were killed when their
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To be in MOL, you had to be smart and you had to be a leader. To me, Jimmy was among the best in both categories.
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that was performing touch-and-goes on an intersecting runway. At the time of his death, Taylor held the rank of
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220:. The history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called
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Contrails Over the Mojave: The Golden Age of Jet Flight
Testing at Edwards Air Force Base
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in 1959. He joined the USAF and trained as a test pilot, graduating from the
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192:(MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.
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Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
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271:. He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn, and three children.
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Attended by his fellow MOL astronauts, Taylor was buried at
252:. The crash was caused by severe wake turbulence from a
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University of
Michigan College of Engineering alumni
450:"SECRET ASTRONAUTS – Lt. Col. James M. Taylor, USAF"
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691:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1970
19:For the president of the Heartland Institute, see
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605:"Some casualties don't show up on NASA's list"
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248:aircraft crashed during a training mission at
177:(November 27, 1930 – September 4, 1970) was a
16:American astronaut and test pilot (1930–1970)
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298:. 2006-09-12. pp. 60–62. Archived from
471:USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond
356:USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond
289:"Space and Missile Systems Center History"
36:
25:
473:. Privately Published. 1994. p. 224.
358:. Privately Published. 1994. p. 250.
686:U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School alumni
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195:Taylor was born November 27, 1930, in
224:which first aired February 12, 2008.
7:
188:. Although he trained for the USAF
14:
701:People from Palmdale, California
696:Victims of flight test accidents
676:United States Air Force officers
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213:U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
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651:Accidental deaths in California
590:Aviation Awards & Honoraria
238:, describing his MOL colleague.
1:
394:Nutter, Ashley (2008-06-02).
327:"Astrospies Taylor biography"
671:People from Stamps, Arkansas
615:. 2005-01-27. Archived from
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18:
516:– via Google Books.
269:Pierce County, Washington
250:Palmdale Regional Airport
190:Manned Orbital Laboratory
168:
106:
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563:"James Taylor biography"
548:"James Taylor biography"
396:"Suits for Space Spies"
179:United States Air Force
265:McChord Air Force Base
231:
209:electrical engineering
201:University of Michigan
90:University of Michigan
498:Naval Institute Press
199:, and graduated from
147:1965 USAF MOL Group 1
21:James Taylor (lawyer)
661:American test pilots
431:. PBS. December 2007
376:. PBS. December 2007
78:Palmdale, California
656:American astronauts
370:"Secret Astronauts"
205:Bachelor of Science
175:James Martin Taylor
488:Marrett, George J.
258:lieutenant colonel
133:Lieutenant colonel
218:Gemini spacecraft
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70:September 4, 1970
55:November 27, 1930
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337:. December 2007
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86:Alma mater
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30:James M. Taylor
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525:External links
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621:. Retrieved
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592:. Aero Files
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571:the original
552:. Retrieved
550:. Spacefacts
511:. Retrieved
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425:"Astrospies"
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408:. Retrieved
404:the original
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339:. Retrieved
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307:. Retrieved
300:the original
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108:Space career
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72:(1970-09-04)
646:1970 deaths
641:1930 births
567:Astronautix
92:, B.S. 1959
635:Categories
623:2008-10-23
609:Cosmic Log
596:2008-10-23
577:2008-10-23
554:2008-10-20
513:2008-10-24
435:2008-10-10
410:2008-10-10
380:2008-10-11
341:2008-10-20
309:2008-10-11
275:References
222:Astrospies
207:degree in
186:test pilot
161:Retirement
101:Test pilot
97:Occupation
51:1930-11-27
182:astronaut
143:Selection
118:astronaut
613:NBC News
490:(2008).
153:Missions
454:Pbs.org
203:with a
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80:, U.S.
61:, U.S.
303:(PDF)
292:(PDF)
254:C-141
502:ISBN
429:NOVA
400:NASA
374:NOVA
331:NOVA
296:USAF
246:T-38
184:and
164:1969
156:None
137:USAF
124:Rank
115:USAF
67:Died
45:Born
335:PBS
267:in
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479:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
