Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Rex Walheim!

Rex Walheim, born October 10, 1962 in Redwood City, California, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions. He obtained the rank of second lieutenant in the Air Force in May 1984.

His first mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-110) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2002.  The mission's main objective was to install the S0 Truss segment, which forms the back bone of the ISS.

His second mission was again aboard Atlantis (STS-122) as mission specialist to the ISS in February 2008.  Walheim conducted 3 EVAs with fellow astronauts Stanley Love and Hans Schlegel for over 21 hours.

His third and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-135) as mission specialist to the ISS in July 2011.  It was the final flight of the Space Shuttle program.

Atlantis (STS-122) launched 2008

STS-122 crew

Front row (L-R): Stephen Frick, Leopold Eyharts, Alan Poindexter

Back row (L-R): Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Stanely Love, Hans Schlegel

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-122), launched February 7, 2008, delivered the ESA's Columbus science laboratory to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Stephen Frick, Pilot Alan Poindexter, Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Hans Schlegel (ESA), Stanley Love and Leopold Eyharts (ESA).

Walheim and Love conducted 3 EVAs during the mission, totaling 22 hours, 8 minutes.  Eyharts remained on the ISS and Daniel Tani returned with the rest of the crew February 20.

Happy birthday, German astronaut Hans Schlegel!

Hans Schlegel, born August 3, 1951 in Germany, is an ESA astronaut and has been into space twice on space shuttle missions.

His first trip into space was aboard Columbia (STS-55) as a payload specialist in April-May 1993.  It was an international cooperative effort between the United States, Germany and nine other nations.

His second and final trip was aboard Atlantis (STS-122) as a mission specialist in February 2008 to the International Space Station.  He performed an EVA with fellow astronaut Rex Walheim for 6 hours and 45 minutes.

Columbia (STS-55) launched 1993

Seated (L-R): Terence Henricks,  Steven Nagel, Charles Precourt; 

Standing (L-R): Bernard Harris, Hans Schlegel, Jerry Ross, Ulrich Walter

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-55), launched April 26, 1993, carried the second reusable German Spacelab into orbit.  The first one flew on STS-61-A in October 1985.  Its crew consisted of Commander Steven Nagel, Pilot Terence T. Henricks, Jerry Ross, Charles Precourt, Bernard Harris, Ulrich Walter and Hans Schlegel (both from the German Aerospace Center [DLR]).

The crew conducted almost 90 experiments from over 11 countries, during the 10-day trip.

They returned to Earth May 6.