Columbia (STS-83) launched 1997

STS-83 crew

Front row (L-R): Janice Voss, James Halsell, Susan Kilrain, Donald Thomas

Back row (L-R): Roger Crouch, Greg Linteris, Michael Gernhardt

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-83), launched April 4, 1997, was originally scheduled to remain in space for over 15 days, but the mission was cut short when a problem with Fuel Cell #2 developed.  Its crew consisted of Commander James Halsell, Pilot Susan Kilrain, Janice Voss, Michael Gernhardt, Donald Thomas, Roger Crouch, and Greg Linteris.

The payload was the Microgravity Science Laboratory, but the crew returned to Earth after just 4 days.  The mission was flown again as STS-94.

Columbia (STS-94) launched 1997

STS-94 crew

Front Row (L-R): Janice Voss, James Halsell, Susan Kilrain Still, Donald Tomas

Back Row (L-R): Roger Crouch, Greg Linteris, Michael Gernhardt

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-94), launched July 1, 1997, was the reflight of STS-83 from April, which was cut short due to a problem with Fuel Cell #2.  Its crew consisted of Commander James Halsell, Pilot Susan Kilrain Still, Janice Voss, Michael Gernhardt, Donald Thomas, Roger Crouch, and Greg Linteris.  It was the only time in history two missions with more than one crewmember had the exact same crew.

This time, the crew managed to complete all their objectives for the mission.  They returned to Earth 

Endeavour (STS-69) launched 1995

STS-69 crew

Seated (L-R): Kenneth Cockrell, David Walker; 

Standing (L-R): Michael Gernhardt, James Newman, James Voss

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-69) launched September 7, 1995 for the 100th successful manned spaceflight for NASA.  Its crew consisted of Commander David Walker, Pilot Kenneth Cockrell, James Voss, James Newman, and Michael Gernhardt.

It was also the second flight of the Wake Shield Facility.  Other experiments investigated bone loss during space flights, monitoring and measuring long-term variations in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) from the sun and tested assembly techniques for the International Space Station.

They returned to Earth September 18.

Atlantis (STS-104) launched 2001

STS-104 crew.  Seated (L-R): Seated - Charles O. Hobaugh, Steven W. Lindsey; 

Standing (L-R) - Michael L. Gernhardt, Janet L. Kavandi, James F. Reilly

Mission patch

The Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-104), launched July 12, 2001, was a installation and repair mission to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, Michael Gernhardt, Janet Kavandi, and James Reilly.

The mission installed the Quest airlock, which is the primary entrance and egress for spacewalks.  Gernhardt and Reilly performed three EVAs lasting over 16 hours total. 

They returned to Earth July 22.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Mike Gernhardt!

Michael L. Gernhardt, born May 4, 1956 in Mansfield, Ohio, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights and three missions to NASA's Aquarius underwater laboratory.

His first mission was as mission  specialist on Endeavour (STS-69) in September 1995, NASA's 100th successful manned spaceflight.

His second flight, also as mission specialist was on Columbia (STS-83) in April 1997, but the mission was cut short due to a problem with a fuel cell.

His third mission was STS-94 on Columbia in July 1997.  This was the "reflight" of STS-83, which was cut short.

His fourth flight was on Atlantis (STS-104) in July 2001 to the International Space Station. He conducted three  EVAs during the mission.

In April 2005, he commanded NEEMO 8, in NASA's Aquarius underwater laboratory.  NEEMO stands for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations.  His second mission underwater was for NEEMO 15, when he piloted the DeepWorker submersible, a small submarine which is a "stand-in" for a Space Exploration Vehicle that may one day explore an asteroid.

Most recently, he piloted hte DeepWorker submersible during NEEMO 16, for which he was principal investigator.