About Us

Honoring Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford

The Stafford Air & Space Museum proudly bears the name of Weatherford native and esteemed astronaut, Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford. Born on September 17, 1930, in Weatherford, Oklahoma. General Stafford’s journey from a small-town boy to a pioneering space explorer is a testament to human determination and ingenuity. His mother, who arrived in Oklahoma by covered wagon, witnessed her only child soar into space, embodying the spirit of exploration.

A Timeline of General Stafford’s Remarkable Achievements

Appointed Head of Research and Development at the Pentagon, chaired the team that developed the Hubble instrument COSTAR (Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement), worked at Area 51, and is responsible for Stealth Technology as we know it today.

1952 Graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
1962 Selected by NASA in the second group of astronauts.
1965 Piloted Gemini 6A, executing the first space rendezvous with Gemini 7.
1966 Commanded Gemini 9A, performing complex extravehicular activities and docking procedures.
1969 Commanded Apollo 10, the “dress rehearsal” for the lunar landing, descending to within 50,000 feet of the Moon’s surface. Was appointed Chief of Astronauts at NASA
1975 Led the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first international space mission, docking with a Soviet Soyuz capsule. For this effort, he received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
1978 Promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development, and Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

Accolades

General Stafford received numerous accolades throughout his expansive and prestigious career, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, and the Oklahoma Aviator of the Century Award.

This video highlights the story of Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford’s career through 2011, as presented at the annual Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy Ceremony, where he was awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.

Evolution of the Stafford Air & Space Museum

The museum’s origins trace back to the late 1970s, beginning as a modest 6-foot display case in the Weatherford airport lobby, showcasing a few of General Stafford’s personal items. In 1993, this humble exhibit expanded into a two-room museum. Over the years, through six expansions, the museum has grown to encompass 75,000 square feet of exhibit space, with the latest upcoming addition to be completed in Spring of 2026. These expansions have enabled hundreds of additional historical artifacts to be brought out for display and have provided the space necessary for the future growth of the museum.

Named a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2011, the museum houses thousands of artifacts representing the evolution of aviation and spaceflight, including:

An actual Titan II rocket
General Stafford’s actual-flown Gemini VI and Apollo 10 pressure suits
Museum-quality, full-scale replicas of an Apollo Command & Service Module and Lunar Module
Actual F-1 Engine Turbine Wheels from Apollo 11
An actual F-1 engine from the Saturn V
General Stafford’s actual-flown Gemini VI-A spacecraft
An actual-flown Shuttle Main Engine
An actual-flown segment of a Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster
An actual-flown Orion parachute test vehicle

Aircraft Displays:

An actual Sopwith Pup
An actual F-86 Sabre, T-33 Shooting Star, T-38 Talon, A-10 Warthog, F-104, and F-16 Fighting Falcon
A rare and actual MIG-21
Full-scale, museum-quality replicas of the Wright Flyer, Wright Glider, Bleriot, and Spirit of St. Louis

Situated just outside the museum’s front entrance, one of the most revolutionary aircraft ever built, the Lockheed F-104 “Starfighter,” points majestically six stories straight up into the sky! The museum’s outdoor display has become an iconic monument for the region.

The museum has been named a Blue Star Museum, which means all active-duty military receive FREE admission to the museum from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day.