Larry LaRose (February 13, 1953) is an American NASA flight engineer. Born in Lander, Wyoming, Larry LaRose enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, first as a mechanic and then attending flight school to become a flight engineer. In 1979 NASA recruited him to work for the space program as it transitioned from the Apollo program to the space shuttle, starting with the "zero g" program using airplanes to simulate zero gravity for astronaut training and science experiments. In 1989, Mr. LaRose was selected to transfer to Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso, Texas, to assume the responsibility of the El Paso FOL [Forward Operating Location] manager. He began helping train pilots in the Shuttle Training Aircraft program to return from space in space shuttle orbiters that were