Endeavour (STS-67) launched 1995

STS-67 crew:

Front row (L-R): Stephen Oswald, Tamara Jernigan, William Gregory

Back row (L-R): Ronald Parise, Wendy Lawrence, John Grunsfeld, Samuel Durrance

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-67), launched March 2, 1995, was dedicated to conduct astronomical observations in the ultraviolet wavelengths.  Its crew consisted of Commander Stephen Oswald, Pilot William Gregory, John Grunsfeld, Wendy Lawrence, Tamara Jernigan, Samuel Durrance, and Ronald Parise.  

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, the Wisconsin Ultraviolet, the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Photo-Polarimeter Experiment were the three most important instruments aboard the Endeavour.  

They returned to Earth on March 18.

Columbia (STS-109) launched 2002

STS-109 crew (L-R): Michael Massimino, Richard Linnehan, Duane Carey, Scott Altman, Nancy Currie, John Grunsfeld, James Newman

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-109), launched March 1, 2002, was the fourth mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.  Its crew consisted of Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Duane Carey, John Grunsfeld, Nancy Currie, Richard Linnehan, James Newman, and Michael Massimino.

Five EVAs were conducted during the mission.  Grunsfeld and Linnehan performed 3 EVAs and Newman and Massimino performed two.  The crew returned to Earth March 12.

It was the last successful flight of Columbia before its disaster upon re-entry in 2003.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Steven Smith!

Steven Smith, born December 30, 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights and seven space walks.

His first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-68) as mission specialist in September-October 1994.  He spent just over 11 days in space.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-82) in February 1997 as mission specialist.  It was the second servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Smith conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut Mark Lee.

His third mission was on Discovery (STS-103) as mission specialist in December 1999 to service the Hubble Space Telescope again.  He conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut John Grunsfield.

Smith's fourth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-110) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2002.  He conducted two more EVAs with fellow astronaut Rex Walheim,

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut John Grunsfeld!

John Grunsfeld, born October 10, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois, is a veteran of five space shuttle flights.

His first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-67) as mission specialist in March 1995.  The mission carried an experiment sponsored by the Australian Space Office.

His second mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-81) as mission specialist in January 1997 to the space station Mir.  During the mission, Grunsfeld made a call to the NPR show Car Talk, which was hosted by two fellow graduates of MIT.

His third flight was aboard Discovery (STS-103) as mission specialist in December 1999. It was a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Grunsfeld conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut Steven Smith.

His fourth mission was aboard Columbia (STS-109) as mission specialist in March 2002.  It was another (the fourth) servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Grunsfeld conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut Richard Linnehan.

His fifth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-125) as mission specialist in May 2009.  It was the fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Grunsfeld conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut Andrew Feustel.

His total EVA time is 58 hours, 30 minutes.  His time in space is 58 days, 15 hours, 3 minutes.

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-81) launched 1997

STS-81 crew

Front row (L-R):  Front: Brent Jett, Michael Baker; 

Back Row (L-R): John Grunsfeld, John Blaha, Peter Wisoff, Jerry Linenger, Marsha Ivins

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-81), launched January 12, 1997, was the fifth mission to the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Michael Baker, Pilot Brent Jett, Peter Wisoff, John Gunsfeld, Marsha Ivins and Jerry Linenger.

Linenger stayed on board Mir as part of Expedition EO-22 and John Blaha returned with the rest of the crew January 22. Linenger became the third American to live on Mir.  Blaha had spent 118 days aboard.

Atlantis (STS-125) launched 2009

STS-125 crew (L-R): Mike Massimino, Michael Good, Gregory C. Johnson, Scott Altman, Megan McArthur,  John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-125), launched May 11, 2009, was the fifth and final mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Its crew consisted of Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Greg C. Johnson, Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel.

Three of the astronauts had already worked on the Hubble Telescope on previous missions.  Scott Altman, Mike Massimino and John Grunsfeld were all on STS-109, the fourth servicing mission.  Grunsfeld had also traveled to Hubble on STS-103. 

On Day 7, the crew woke up to New York State of Mind by Billy Joel, chosen by Mike Massimino.

Discovery (STS-103) launched 1999

Left to right; C. Michael Foale, Claude Nicollier, Scott J. Kelly, Curtis L. Brown, Jr., Jean-Francois Clervoy, John M. Grunsfeld and Steven L. Smith

Mission patch

Discovery blasted off December 19, 1999 on mission STS-103 to service the Hubble Space Telescope.  Her international crew consisted of Commander Curtis Brown, Pilot Scott Kelly, mission specialists John Grunsfeld, Jean-Francois Clervoy (ESA), Michael Foale, Steven Smith and Claude Nicollier (ESA)

Four EVAs were scheduled but scaled back to only three.  Smith and Grunsfeld each performed two, while Foale and Nicollier did one.  Each EVA lasted a little over 8 hours.

Discovery attained the highest altitude for a Space Shuttle flight, 378 miles!  It was the last solo flight for Discovery since the rest were to the International Space Station. It was the third time a crew has spent Christmas in space.

It was the fourth and final flight of Claude Nicollier, the first Swiss astronaut. It was Scott Kelly's inaugural flight.