Happy birthday, astronaut Bob Behnken!

Robert Louis Behnken, born July 28, 1970 in St. Ann, Missouri, has been to space three times.  He earned a BS in mechanical engineering and phusics from Washington University in St. Louis.  Then he earned an MS and PhD in mechanical engineering from California Institute of Technology.

He entered the Air Force and after graduating he flew the F-15 and F-16.

His first trip into space aboard Endeavour (STS-123) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in March 2008. He spent almost 16 days in space.

Behnken's second trip was also aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the ISS in February 2010. He spent almost 14 days in space.

His third and final trip was aboard Crew Dragon Endeavour Demo-2 as Joint operations commander to the ISS in May 2020. He remained on the space station as part of Expedition 63 before returning to Earth in August 2020. He spent 63 days in space. 

Who is Bob Behnken? 

Soyuz MS-21 launched 2022

 Soyuz MS-21 crew (L-R): Denis Mateev, Oleg Artemyev, Sergey Korsakov

Soyuz MS-21, launched March 18, 2022, carried three cosmonauts to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Oleg Artemyev, Denis Mateev, and Sergey Korsakov. They participated in Expeditions 66 and 67 while aboard the ISS.

The cosmonauts returned to Earth in September 2022, after almost 195 days in space. 

Soyuz MS-21 launch

Happy birthday, astronaut Brian Duffy!

Brian Duffy, born June 20, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts, has been in space four times. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1975 and was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in June 1985.

His first flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as pilot in March-April 1992.  He spent almost 9 days in space before returning to Earth. 

His second mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-57) as pilot in June-July 1993. He spent 10 days in space before returning to Earth. 

Duffy's third mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-72) as commander January 11-20, 1996. He spent almost 9 days in space before returning to Earth.

His fourth and final mission was aboard Discovery (STS-92) as commander to the International Space Station October 11-24, 2000. He spent 13 days in space before returning to Earth.

Duffy was inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame May 14, 2016.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Nikolai Chub!

Nikolai Chub, born June 10, 1984 in the former USSR, went into space aboard Soyuz MS-24 as flight engineer to the International Space Station in September 2023.  He participated in Expeditions 69-71 and conducted two EVAs, for a total of twelve hours, seventeen minutes. 

He returned to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-25 in September 2024 after almost 374 days in space. 

Happy birthday, astronaut Yi So-yeon!

Yi So-yeon, born June 2, 1978 in Gwangju, South Korea, is the first Korean to go into space. She was selected as a finalist in the Korean Astronaut Program.  She went into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station as a participant, launched April 8, 2008. She returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-11 after 10 days in space. 

Soyuz TMA-09M launched 2013

Soyuz TMA-09M (L-R): Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg, Luca Parmitano

Soyuz TMA-09M, launched May 28, 2013, carried three astronauts to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, Luca Parmitano (ESA), and Karen Nyberg (NASA).  They participated in Expedition 36 on the ISS and returned to Earth in November 2013, after 166 days in space.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov!

Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, born May 24, 1990 in the previous Soviet Union, went into space aboard SpaceX Crew-9 to the International Space Station, as mission specialist in September 2024. He participated in Expedition 72 and planned to spend a month in space, but due to the problems with the spacecraft, his stay was extended.  

He spent 171 days in space, returning to Earth in March 2025.

Soyuz TMA-04M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-041M crew (L-R): Joe Acaba, Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin

Soyuz TMA-04M, launched May 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 31 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin, and Joe Acaba. During the expedition, an unmanned Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX docked with the ISS as part of a test rendezvous. 

They returned to Earth after 125 days on September 17, 2012.

Happy birthday, astronaut Jessica Watkins!

Jessica Watkins, born May 14, 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, went into space aboard the SpaceX Crew-4 Crew Dragon spacecraft Freedom as mission specialist.  She launched in April 2022 to the International Space Station and participated in Expeditions 67 and 68.  She spent over 170 days in space before returning to Earth.

Happy birthday, astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger!

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, born May 2, 1975 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, went into space in 2010. She graduated from Fort Collins High School and attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, graduating in 1997.

She was selected by NASA in 2004.  She went into space aboard Discovery (STS-131) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2010. She returned to Earth after 15 days in space.

Happy birthday, astronaut Paul Lockhart!

Paul Lockhart, born April 28, 1956 in Amarillo, Texas, went into space twice. He received a BA in math from Texas Tech University in 1978, and a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.  He then entered the US Air Force and graduated from pilot training in 1983. 

Lockhart's first mission was aboard the space shuttle Endeavour (STS-111) as pilot to the International Space Station in June 2002. He spent almost 14 days in space before returning to Earth.

His second and last mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-113) as pilot to the International Space Station in November-December 2002. He spent another 14 days in space before returning to Earth. 

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Denis Matveev!

Denis Matveev, born April 25, 1983 in Leningrad, Soviet Union, went into space aboard Soyuz MS-21, launched in March 2022 to the International Space Station.  He participated in Expeditions 66-67, during which he conducted four EVAs for a total of twenty-six hours.

He spent almost 195 days in space.  Matveev retired after this mission.

Soyuz TMA-12 launches 2008

Soyuz TMA-12 crew (L-R): Yi So-Yeon, Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko

Soyuz TMA-12, launched April 8, 2008, carried two crew members and a Korean woman, as a Spaceflight Participant to the International Space Station.  The crew consisted of Commander Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko, and Yi So-Yeon (Korean Astronaut Program). 

Volkov and Kononenko participated in Expedition 17 and they returned to Earth in October 2008. Richard Garriott, who had arrived on Soyuz TMA-13 eleven days earlier, returned with them.  

Yi So-Yeon remained on the ISS for almost eleven days and returned on Soyuz TMA-11.

Soyuz TMA-21 launched 2011

Soyuz TMA-21 crew (L-R): Ronald Garan, Aleksandr Samokutyavey, Andrei Borisenko

Soyuz TMA-21, launched April 4, 2011, carried members of Expedition 27 to the International Space Station. Its crew consisted of Commander Aleksandr Samokutyayev, Andrey Borisenko, and Ronald Garan (NASA).  They participated in Expeditions 27-28, before returning to Earth in September 2011.

Boeing Starliner Crew return to Earth yesterday

Boeing Starliner crew Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore

Boeing Starliner mission patch

Astronauts Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Barry Wilmore returned to Earth yesterday, March 18, 2025 after nine months in space.  They launched aboard the Boeing Starliner capsule to the International Space Station in June 2024 for an eight-day mission. However, the Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned as it approached the ISS, and NASA determined it was too risky for the crew to return.  The spacecraft returned uncrewed on September 7, 2024.

SpaceX Crew-9 launched on September 28, 2024 to the ISS with astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.  

The Crew Dragon spacecraft carried all four home.

Happy birthday, astronaut Matthias Maurer!

Matthias Maurer, born March 18, 1970 in West Germany, is an astronaut with the European Space Agency. He went into space as part of SpaceX Crew-3, launched in November 2021 to the International Space Station. He participated in Expeditions 66-67 and spent over 176 days in space.  He returned to Earth in May 2022.

SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched today!

Crew-10 (L-R): Kirill Peskov, Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, Takuya Onishi

NASA SpaceX Crew-10 mission patch

SpaceX Crew-10 lifted off successfully from the Kennedy Space Center here at Cape Canaveral tonight, a little after 7pm.  Its crew consists of Commander Anne McClain (NASA), Pilot Nichole Ayers (NASA), Takuya Onishi (JAXA), and Kirill Peskov (Roscosos).  It is the first flight for Ayers and Peskov, the second for McClain and Takuya Onishi.  

They will dock with the International Space Station and participate in Expeditions 72-73, before returning to earth, scheduled for July 2025.

Soyuz MS-23 launched 2023

Soyuz MS-23, launched February 24, 2023, was an uncrewed spaceflight to the International Space Station to replace the damaged Soyuz MS-22.  

A micro-meteoroid impact resulted in a 0.8 mm hole in the radiator of Soyuz MS-22, and doubts about the safety of the spacecraft. It returned to Earth uncrewed, and Soyuz MS-23 was launched.

Soyuz MS-23 docked with the ISS February 26 and returned to Earth in September 2023, with Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin, and Francisco Rubio.

Happy birthday, astronaut David Saint-Jacques!

David Saint-Jacques, born January 6, 1970 in Quebec City, Canada, went into space aboard Soyuz MS-11 to the International Space Station in December 2018.  He participated in Expeditions 57-59 and conducted an EVA for 6 hours, 29 minutes.  He spent almost 204 days in space before returning to Earth in June 2019.

Happy birthday, astronaut James Dutton!

James Dutton Jr., born November 20, 1968 in Eugene, Oregon, went into space aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-131) as pilot to the International Space Station in April 2010.  He retired from the US Air Force as Colonel in 2014.