The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS) graduated the following notable alumni who made significant contributions to the aerospace field. The school's mission is to produce experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to lead and conduct test and evaluation of aerospace weapon systems. The school was established on September 9, 1944, as the Flight Test Training Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Dayton, Ohio. To take advantage of the uncongested skies and superb flying weather, the school was moved on February 4, 1951, to its present location at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. Edwards AFB is the home of the Air Force Test Center and has been an integral part of flight testing since June 25, 1951.

Between 1962 and 1972, the Test Pilot School expanded its role to include astronaut training for military test pilots. Thirty-seven TPS graduates of this era were selected for the U.S. space program, and twenty-six went on to earn astronaut's wings by flying in the X-15, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. Although the school no longer trains astronauts, many TPS graduates since 1972 have been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for duties in space. The school encourages applications from civilians, personnel from other U.S. military services, and individuals from foreign countries. An exchange program allows selected students to attend other test pilot schools including the United States Naval Test Pilot School, the United Kingdom's Empire Test Pilots' School, and France's EPNER.

Liethen-Tittle Award The Liethen-Tittle Award is a prestigious honor presented to the top graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. The award honours Major Frank Liethen Jr, Class 61C, who lost his life flying with the Thunderbirds in 1966, and Major David Tittle, Class 55D, who lost his life testing the XC-5 VSTOL aircraft in 1966. The award is presented to the pilot in each class who achieves the best overall record for outstanding flying performance and academic excellence.

Famous alumni The following graduates of the USAF Test Pilot School are listed in the roles for which they are most notable.For the purposes of this list, notability is per the definition at WP:BIO and WP:MILMOS#NOTE. These roles include: Astronaut – Alumni who were trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft. Flight test – Alumni notable for their work in flight testing including the "Golden Age" of jet flight testing: 1948 to 1968. Military commander – Alumni who achieved notability as the commanding officer of a military unit. Author – Alumni who have authored books on flight test.

Key Service RCAF Royal Canadian Air Force USAF United States Air Force USAFR United States Air Force Reserve USN United States Navy USNR United States Navy Reserve USMC United States Marine Corps Civilians From specified U.S. contractors and government agenciesRank Military rank For individuals who have served in the armed forces. The rank shown is current at the time this list was created and is subject to change. "n/a" For civilians who have not served in the armed forces and therefore do not have military rank.Class Year/Letter The year and order in which a class started. For example, 07A was the first of two classes to start in 2007. Roman Numeral Four Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) classes designated I, II, III, and IV, that prepared students for crewed spaceflight operations. These classes were dropped when the USAF lost its crewed spaceflight mission. MOL Classes to train military astronauts of the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) program. MOL was cancelled in 1969 before any of the astronauts went into space. AFIT The USAF TPS selects up to eight students per year to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. These individuals attend 15 months of class work and thesis preparation prior to completing the USAF TPS curriculum. "n/a" For faculty who taught at USAF TPS but were never students of the school.

Astronauts

Individual was killed in a work-related (aviation) accident. Individual was awarded the Liethen-Title Award. Name Service Rank Class Notable events Ref USAF O-04Major 1962-0362C, IV, MOL X-15 Flight 191, 1965 USAF MOL Group USAF O-06Colonel 1982-0282B STS-41, STS-49, STS-61, STS-79 USN O-05Commander 1997-0297B STS-119, STS-132 USAF O-06Colonel 1994-0294B STS-117, STS-119 USAF O-03Captain 1962-0162A, III 1963 NASA Group 3 USAF O-06Colonel 1998-0298B STS-123, STS-130, SpX-DM2 USAF O-06Colonel 1971-0171A STS-29, STS-33, STS-43, STS-58, STS-79, Mir-22, STS-81 USAF O-06Colonel 1992-0192A STS-86, STS-97, STS-110 USAF O-06Colonel 1965-0265B, MOL STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J USAF O-06Colonel 1997-0197A STS-126, STS-133 USAF O-06Colonel 1960-0360C, I Gemini 7, Apollo 8 USN O-06Captain 1985-0185A STS-50, STS-61, STS-73, STS-82, STS-113, Expedition 6, Soyuz TMA-1 USAF O-08Major General 1970-0270B STS-51-F USAF O-06Colonel 1985-0285B STS-47, STS-66, STS-77, STS-85, STS-95, STS-103 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1992-0192A STS-109 USAF O-06Colonel 1974-0174A STS-36, STS-54, STS-62, STS-77 USAF O-10General 1984-0184A STS-49, STS-59, STS-76 USAF O-06Colonel 1989-0289B STS-63 (first female shuttle pilot), STS-84, STS-93 (first female shuttle commander), STS-114 (Return to Flight after Columbia Disaster) USAFR O-08Major General 1960-0360C, III Gemini 10, Apollo 11 USAF O-06Colonel 1956-0456D Mercury 9, Gemini 5 USAF O-06Colonel 1974-0274B STS-51-I, STS-26 (Return to Flight after Challenger Disaster), STS-38, STS-61 USAF O-06Colonel 1960-0160A, II, MOL 1962 Dyna-Soar Group, 1965 USAF MOL Group USN O-06Captain 1965-0165A, MOL STS-1, STS-7, STS-41-C, STS-41-G USAF O-06Colonel 1982-0282B STS-57, STS-72, STS-92 USAF O-07Brig. General 1964-0364C Apollo 16 USAF O-06Colonel 2000–0100A STS-131 USAF O-06Colonel 1962-0162A Apollo 7 USAF O-06Colonel 1961-0361C, III X-15 Flight 138, X-15 Flight 143, X-15 Flight 153, ALT, STS-2, STS-51-I USAF O-06Colonel 1993-0293B Soyuz TMA-4 (Expedition 9), Soyuz TMA-13 (Expedition 18), STS-134, Boeing Starliner-1 (Expedition 72/73) USN O-06Captain 1964-0164A, MOL 1965 USAF MOL Group USAF O-06Colonel 2003-0203B Soyuz MS-04 (Expedition 51/52) USAF O-06Colonel 1990-0190A STS-128, Soyuz TMA-06M (Expedition 33/34) USAF O-06Colonel 1985-0185A STS-121, STS-124, Soyuz TMA-02M (Expedition 28/29) USAF O-03Captain 1962-0162A, IV 1963 NASA Group USAF O-06Colonel 1964-0264B, MOL ALT, STS-3, STS-51-F USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0175A STS-27, STS-35, TPS Commandant USAF O-04Major 1958-0258B, III 1966 NASA Group USN O-06Captain 2006-0206B SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65), Artemis II USAF O-06Colonel 1974-0174A STS-51-J, STS-30, STS-42, STS-57 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1987-0187A STS-67 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1956-0456D Mercury-Redstone 4, Gemini 3, Apollo 1 USAF O-06Colonel 1981-0181A STS-40, STS-59 RCAF O-05Colonel 1987-8888A STS-74, STS-100, Soyuz TMA-07M (Expedition 34/35) USAF O-06Colonel 2003-0103A Soyuz MS-10, Soyuz MS-12 (Expedition 59/60, SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 71/72) USMC O-00n/a 1964-0164A Apollo 13, ALT USAF O-06Colonel 1986-0186A STS-65, STS-74, STS-83, STS-94, STS-101 USAF O-06Colonel 1964-0364C, MOL STS-4, STS-41-D, STS-61-A USAF O-09Lt General 1988-0188A STS-54, STS-64, STS-78, STS-101, Expedition 2 (STS-102 / STS-105) USAF O-06Colonel 1983-0183A STS-44, STS-55, STS-70, STS-78 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 2007-0207B SpaceX Crew-4 (Expedition 67/68) USAF O-06Colonel 1996-0296B Soyuz TMA-10M (Expedition 37/38), SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65) USAF O-06Colonel 1990-0190A STS-75, STS-82, STS-101, STS-105 USAF O-06Colonel 1988-0188A STS-96, STS-107 Columbia loss USAF O-06Colonel 1960-0360C, IV Apollo 15 USNR O-06Captain 1984-0184A STS-125 USAF O-06Colonel 1994-0194A STS-123 STS-134 USAF O-06Colonel 1993-0293B STS-102, STS-114 USAF O-06Colonel 1958-0358C, 63A X-15 Flight 190, California State Senator RCAF O-05Lt Colonel 2011-0211B SpaceX Crew-13 (Expedition 75/76) USAF O-04Major 1966-0266B, MOL First African-American astronaut, 1967 USAF MOL Group USAF O-06Colonel 1963-0163A, MOL 1965 USAF MOL Group USAF O-06Colonel 1989-0189A, AFIT STS-87, STS-95, STS-104, STS-121 STS-133 USAF O-06Colonel 1991-0191A STS-111, STS-113 USMC O-06Colonel 1993-0193A 1996 NASA Group USAF O-06Colonel 1960-0160A, IV, MOL 1965 USAF MOL Group USN O-07Rear Admiral 1965-0265B Apollo 16, STS-4, STS-51-C USN O-06Captain 1975-0175A STS-41-G USAF O-07Brig. General 1959-0359C, I Gemini 4, Apollo 9 USAF O-06Colonel 1981-0181A STS-39, STS-54, STS-66 USAF O-06Colonel 1980-0280B STS-38, STS-50, STS-64 USAF O-06Colonel 1991-0291B STS-92, STS-112, STS-120 USN O-06Captain 1965-0265B Apollo 14 USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0275B STS-41-D, STS-27, STS-36 USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0175A STS-51-G, STS-61-A, STS-37, STS-55 USAF O-06Colonel 1960-0360C, III, MOL 1965 USAF MOL Group USAF O-06Colonel 1974-0274B STS-51-C, STS-51-L Challenger loss USMC O-06Colonel 1965-0365C, MOL STS-5, STS-51-B USAF O-06Colonel 1966-0266B, MOL STS-6 USAF O-03Captain 1986-0286B STS-98, STS-116, STS-127 USAF O-06Colonel 1985-0185A STS-55, STS-71, STS-84, STS-91 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1958-0358C 1960 Dyna-Soar Group USAF O-06Colonel 1964-0364C Apollo 14 USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0275B STS-61-B, STS-27, STS-37, STS-55, STS-74, STS-88, STS-110 USAF O-08Major General 1956-0356C X-15 Flight 87 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1971-0271B STS-41-C, STS-51-L Challenger loss USAF O-06Colonel 1962-0362C, IV Gemini 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 15 USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0275B STS-9, STS-61-B, STS-28 USAF O-06Colonel 1975-0175A STS-51-C, STS-31, STS-46 USAF O-04Major 1955-0355C 1st Chief of the Astronaut Office, Apollo–Soyuz Test Project USAF O-09Lt General 1958-0358C Gemini 6A, Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, ASTP USMC O-06Colonel 1992-0192A STS-88, STS-105, STS-117, STS-128, VP-03, Unity 21, Unity 25, Galactic 02, Galactic 04, Galactic 06 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1963-0163A, MOL 1965 USAF MOL Group USN O-09Vice Admiral 1964-0164A, MOL ALT, STS-2, STS-8, 8th Administrator of NASA USAF O-06Colonel 1998-0298B STS-130, Soyuz TMA-15M (Expedition 42/43) USAF O-06Colonel 1992-0192A STS-110, STS-122, STS-135 USN O-06Captain 1971-0171A STS-51-A, STS-30, STS-53, STS-69 USAF O-06Colonel 1983-0183A STS-51, STS-65, STS-79, STS-108, Expedition 4, STS-111 USAF O-05Lt Colonel 1959-0359C Gemini 4, Apollo 1 USAF O-08Major General 1954-0354C X-15 Flight 62 USAF O-06Colonel 1956-0456D 1960 Dyna-Soar Group 1 USAF O-06Colonel 1964-0364C Apollo 15 USMC O-06Colonel 1994-0194A STS-120, STS-130

Flight test

Individual was killed in a work-related (aviation) accident.