About William A. Pailes
Born 1952. William A. Pailes is an American military officer, astronaut and computer Scientist.
William Arthur Pailes (Colonel, USAF) (born June 26, 1952) is a former USAF astronaut in the Manned Spaceflight Engineer Program during the mid-1980s. He served as a payload specialist on STS-51-J Atlantis (October 3–7, 1985).
Personal Pailes was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, but considers Kinnelon, New Jersey, to be his hometown. He is married and is a former deacon and treasurer of his church in El Segundo, California. He has retired from teaching the AFJROTC Program at Temple High School in Temple, Texas. He was the senior aerospace science instructor until August 2018.
Education
Pailes graduated from Kinnelon High School in Kinnelon, New Jersey, in 1970. He then received his Bachelor of Science degree in computer science at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, four years later.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in William A. Pailes's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William A. Pailes's
Frequently asked questions
Who is William A. Pailes?
American astronaut
When was William A. Pailes born?
William A. Pailes was born on 26 June 1952 in Hackensack.
What is William A. Pailes's occupation?
William A. Pailes is a military officer, astronaut and computer Scientist.
What nationality is William A. Pailes?
William A. Pailes is American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: William A. Pailes
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William A. Pailes. https://biography.guide/william-a-pailes/
MLA: "William A. Pailes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-a-pailes/.
Chicago: "William A. Pailes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-a-pailes/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:20 UTC