Thomas P. Stafford is a retired United States Air Force officer and a former NASA astronaut. He was born on July 30, 1928, in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Stafford is best known for his role in the Gemini and Apollo space programs, where he commanded the historic Apollo 10 mission, which served as a dress rehearsal for the first moon landing. Throughout his career, Stafford logged over 500 hours in space and contributed significantly to the development of space exploration. After retiring from NASA, he continued to work in the aerospace industry and served on various boards, including the NASA Advisory Council. His contributions have made a lasting impact on space travel and exploration.