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Back home again in Indiana, astronaut Joe Allen awarded Sagamore of Wabash
CRAWFORDSVILLE — While his NASA career historically took him into space, orbiting the Earth 156 times on two space shuttle flights, Joe Allen saw his post-astronaut career land him in places like Houston and Washington, D.C.
Yet when it came to living out the last years of his life, the 87-year-old Allen — a product of Greencastle, Crawfordsville and DePauw University — is back home again in Indiana.
And his new chosen residence, the Wellbrooke senior community in Crawfordsville, is where District 44 State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) presented him Tuesday with the highest honor a Hoosier can receive, the Sagamore of the Wabash as bestowed upon Allen by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
District 44 State Rep. Baird joined his father, Indiana 4th District Congressman Jim Baird (R-Greencastle), for the award presentation ceremony, noting that Allen's career in public service has spanned decades. Selected as a scientist-astronaut in August 1967 as a member of the second group of NASA scientist-astronauts, Allen logged 314 hours in space in his career.
"Joseph Allen's achievements as an astronaut and his contributions to science and exploration are nothing short of extraordinary," Beau Baird said. "His dedication and service to our nation, both in space and here at home, embody the Hoosier spirit and are deserving of the Sagamore of the Wabash award. It's a privilege to honor such an inspiring figure who has not only made history but continues to inspire future generations."
Born in Crawfordsville, Allen graduated from DePauw University in 1959 and later earned a Ph.D. in physics from Yale University. His work in space helped advance satellite technology and set the stage for future missions.
"I was indeed a satellite around the Earth, which is out of this world I can tell you," Allen said Tuesday. "It's a very sobering and somewhat frightening experience. You're traveling at 24,000 miles an hour in complete silence ... I tell you that because that is what space is. You and the spaceship literally fall off the edge of the Earth."
Beyond his time with NASA, Allen served as a leader in the both the private sector and government, guiding companies like Space Industries International and Veridian. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal and the DePauw Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was also inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and Indiana Aviation Hall of Fame.
Allen can look back in wonder at a career that even spawned a "Jeopardy" question about his exploits in space. After a lengthy NASA tenure that included ground support for many missions, he was mission specialist on both the first fully operational flight of the Shuttle Transportation System (Columbia) in 1982, and in 1984 the second flight of Discovery, which completed 127 orbits of the Earth in 192 hours before landing.
The Hoosier helped deploy the first-ever satellites from a space shuttle and then took part in a historic space mission to salvage a pair of communications satellites that had been stranded in useless orbits after a previous deployment. Gliding outside the shuttle, propelled by a jet pack a la Buck Rogers, Allen latched onto the satellite and maneuvered it until it was grabbed by the shuttle's robot arm.
More amazingly, for more than 90 minutes during one circuit of the globe, Allen -- who said he weighed about 120 pounds at the time -- held the 1,200-pound satellite aloft while repairs were made before it was manually lowered into the cargo bay of the shuttle.
The son of DePauw graduate parents, Harriett (Taylor) and Joseph Percival "Perk" Allen III (a longtime DePauw economics professor), Allen and his brother David said they “were clearly products of the Greencastle environment (with) an air of Crawfordsville behind us" during a gathering at the Putnam County Museum eight years ago.
As youngsters growing up in Crawfordsville, one of their favorite spots was their grandparents' house at 636 E. Seminary St. in Greencastle. “So Greencastle and DePauw University have been part of our lives from Day One," they added.
Joe even met his future wife, Bonnie Darling, a fellow DPU student, in Greencastle. It was after her passing that Joe decided to move back to his roots, settling at Wellbrooke in Crawfordsville.
Dating back to the 1940s, the Sagamore of the Wabash award was created by former Gov. Ralph Gates. The highest honor the governor can bestow, it is presented to distinguished Hoosiers who have made significant contributions to the state of Indiana.