Happy birthday, astronaut Gregory Harbaugh!

Gregory Harbaugh, born April 15, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, went into space four times. 

His first mission was aboard Discovery (STS-39) as mission specialist in April 28, 1991. The mission was dedicated to the US Department of Defense. He spent over 8 days in space, returning to Earth on May 6.

His second flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-54) as mission specialist launched January 13, 1993. During the mission, Harbaugh and fellow astronaut Mario Runco conducted a 5 hour EVA in the cargo bay to advance NASA's understanding of working in space. He spent almost 6 days in space, returning to Earth January 19.

His third mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-71) as mission specialist to the Russian space station Mir, the third mission in the Shuttle-Mir program, launched June 27, 1995. He spent almost 10 days in space, returning to Earth, July 7. 

His fourth and final trip into space was aboard Discovery (STS-82) as mission specialist, launched February 11, 1997.  It was the second mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.  He and fellow astronaut Joseph Tanner conducted two EVAs during the mission for a total of about fifteen hours.  He spent almost 10 days in space before returning to Earth on February 21.

Atlantis (STS-71) launched 1995

STS-71 crew

Seated (L-R): Vladimir Dezhurov, Robert Gibson, Anatoly Solovyev

Standing (L-R): Norman Thagard, Gennady Strekalov, Gregory Harbaugh, Ellen Baker,Charles Precourt,Bonnie Dunbar, Nikolai Budarin

STS-71 mission patch

Atlantis (STS-71), launched June 27, 1995, was the first Space Shuttle to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Robert Gibson, Pilot Charles Precourt, Ellen Baker, Gregory Harbaugh, and Bonnie Dunbar.  It delivered two cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin, to Mir to participate in Expedition EO-19, and return with members of EO-18. 

The mission included filming with an IMAX camera, the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), and to conduct biomedical investigations.  Some of these experiments covered cardiovascular and pulmonary functions, human metabolism, neuroscience, hygiene, sanitation, radiation, and behavioral performance.

Atlantis undocked from Mir on July 4, and returned to Earth with the original crew, Gennady Strekalov, Vladimir Dezhurov, and Norman Thagard.  The shuttle's crew spent almost 10 days in space.  

Discovery (STS-39) launched 1991

STS-39 crew (L-R): Charles Veach, Michael Coats, Gregory Harbaugh, Donald McMonagle, Blaine Hammond, Richard Hieb, Guion Bluford

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery, launched April 28, 1991, carried experiments for the Department of Defense into space.  Its crew consisted of Commander Michael Coats, Pilot Blaine Hammond, Gregory Harbaugh, Donald McMonagle, Guion Bluford, Charles Veach, and Richard Hieb.

They returned to Earth May 6.

Discovery (STS-82) launched 1997

STS-82 crew

Front row (L-R): Kenneth Bowersox, Steven Hawley, Scott Horowitz

Back row (L-R): Joseph Tanner, Gregory Harbaugh, Mark Lee, Steven Smith

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-82), launched February 11, 1997, was the second misson to service the Hubble Space Telescope.  Its crew consisted of Commander Kenneth Bowersox, Pilot Scott Horowitz, Joseph Tanner, Steven Hawley, Gregory Harbaugh, Mark Lee and Steven Smith.

Lee and Smith conducted 3 EVAs and Harbaugh and Tanner conducted two EVAs.  The crew returned to Earth February 21.

Endeavour (STS-54) launched 1993

Left to right: Mario Runco, John Casper, Don McMonagle, Susan Helms, Greg Harbaugh

 Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour launched January 13, 1993 on its third mission (STS-54). Her crew was Commander John Casper, Pilot Donald McMonagle, Mission Specialist 1 Mario Runco, Jr., Mission Specialist 2 Gregory Harbaugh and Mission Specialist Susan Helms.

On the fifth day of the mission, Mario Runco and Greg Harbaugh spent almost 5 hours in the open cargo bay conducting space-walking tests to show how people could work in space.

Endeavour returned January 19.