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? 

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Takao Doi!

Takao Doi, born September 18, 1954 in Tokyo, Japan, is a veteran of two Space Shuttle flights.

His first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-87) as mission specialist in November-December 1997.  During the mission he conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut Winston Scott, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.

His second flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-123) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in March 2008.  The mission delivered the first module of the Japanese Experiment Module.

Endeavour (STS-123) launched 2008

STS-123 crew:

Front row (L-R): Gregory H. Johnson, Dominic Gorie

Back row (L-R): Richard Linnehan, Robert Behnken, Garrett Reisman, Michael Foreman, Takao Doi

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-123), launched March 11, 2008, delivered the first module of the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo).  Its crew consisted of Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, Robert Behnken, Michael Foreman, Richard Linnehan, Takao Doi (JAXA), and Garrett Reisman.

Five spacewalks were conducted during the mission, by Linnehan, Reisman, Foreman and Behnken. 

The crew returned to Earth March 27., the longest space shuttle flight.  Reisman stayed on board the ISS, and astronaut Leopold Eyharts (ESA) returned with the rest of the crew.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Garrett Reisman!

Garrett Reisman, born February 10, 1968 in Morristown, New Jersey, is a veteran of two space shuttle flights and two expeditions aboard the International Space Station.

He served as an aquanaut in the Aquarius underwater laboratory as part of expedition NEEMO 5 mission in June 2003.

His first flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-123) as flight engineer, launched March 2008 to the ISS. He was part of Expedition 16 and 17 and returned to Earth in October 2008 on Discovery (STS-124). During this mission, Stephen Colbert interviewed Reisman in May on an episode of The Colbert Report.

His second and final flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-132) as mission specialist in May 2010.  He conducted 2 of the 3 EVAs during the mission.  Reisman also helped design the mission patch working with NASA Sean Collins.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Richard Linnehan!

Richard Linnehan, born September 19, 1957 in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a veteran of four space shuttle missions.  After receiving a BS in Animal Sciences and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, he completed an internship in exotic animal medicine at the Baltimore Zoo! 

Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1992, his first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-78) as mission specialist June-July 1996.  It was a preparation flight for the International Space Station.

Linnehan's second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-90) as mission specialist April-May 1998.  The Mammalian Development Team, which I'm sure Linnehan was a part of, experienced an unexpectedly high mortality rate of neonatal rats.  Therefore, they had to reprioritize their experiments.

His third flight was aboard Columbia (STS-109) as mission specialist in March 2002.  It was a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope and the last flight of Columbia before it disintegrated the following February upon re-entry.

Linnehan's fourth and final flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-123) as mission specialist in March 2008 to the International Space Station.  He performed three EVAs, totaling 21 hours.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Greg H. Johnson!

Gregory H. Johnson, born May 12, 1962 in South Ruislip, Greater London, United Kingdom, is the veteran of two space shuttle flights.

His first flight was on Endeavour (STS-123) in March 2008 to the International Space Station.  The mission set a record for the longest shuttle stay at the ISS, at just over 15 days, 18 hours.

His second and final flight was on back on Endeavour (STS-134) as pilot in May-June 2011 to the ISS. It was the next to last flight of the space shuttle program.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Dominic Gorie!

Dominic Lee Pudwill Gorie, born May 2, 1957 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a veteran of four space shuttle missions.  He was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1994 and flew as pilot on his first mission on Discovery (STS-91) in June 1998, the final space shuttle mission to Mir.

He piloted Endeavour (STS-99) in February 2000.  It was the last solo flight of Endeavour, since the remainder of its missions were dedicated to the International Space Station.

Gorie's third mission was as commander of Endeavour (STS-108) in December 2001.  The mission's main purpose was to deliver Expedition 4 to the ISS and bring back Expedition 3.

His final mission was as commander on Endeavour (STS-123) in March 2008.  The flight set a record for the longest shuttle mission to the ISS.