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, astronaut Nicholas Patrick!

Nicholas Patrick, born November 19, 1964 in Yorkshire, England, has spent almost a month in space.

His first mission was aboard Discovery (STS-116) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in December 2006. He spent almost 13 days in space, 7 of those docked at the space station.  

His second and final mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the ISS in February 2010.  He conducted 3 EVAs with fellow astronaut Robert Behnken for a total of more than 18 hours.  He spent almost 14 days in space and completed 217 orbits.

Happy birthday, NASA astronaut Terry Virts!

Terry Virts, born December 1, 1967 in Baltimore, Maryland, has been in space twice.

His first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as pilot to the International Space Station in February 2010.  Its primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a control station that provided a 360° view of the station.

His second trip was aboard Soyuz TMA-15M, launched in November 2014.  He participated in Expedition 42 and served as commander of Expedition 43.  

He has performed 3 EVAs for just over 19 hours.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Stephen Robinson!

Stephen Robinson, born October 26, 1955 in Sacramento, California, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights.

His first flight was aboard Discovery (STS-85) as mission specialist in August 1997.  The mission lasted almost 12 days.

His second flight was again on Discovery (STS-95) as mission specialist in October-November 1998. One of his fellow astronaut was US Senator John Glenn, his second trip into space.

His third flight was aboard Discovery (STS-114) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in July-August 2005.  It was the "Return to Flight" space shuttle mission, the first following the Columbia disaster in 2003.

His fourth and final flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in February 2010. 

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Kathryn Hire!

Kathryn "Kay" Hire, born August 29, 1959 in Mobile, Alabama, has been in space twice.  After getting her Bachelor of Science at the US Naval Academy, she got her Master of Science degree in Space Technology just up the road here at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida!  She was the first employee of the Kennedy Space Center to be chosen as an astronaut candidate.

Her first mission was aboard Columbia (STS-90) as mission specialist in April-May 1998.  It was the final flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab module.

Her second and last flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in February 2010.  The primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic controls station with six windows, providing a 360° view around the ISS.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut George Zamka!

George Zamka, born June 29, 1962 in Jersey City, New Jersey, is a veteran of two space shuttle flights.  He graduated with a Bachelor's in mathematics from the US Naval Academy in 1984.  Then he became a Second Lieutenant in the US Marines.  In 1994, he graduated from the US Air Force Test Pilot School. 

His first trip into space was aboard Discovery (STS-120) as pilot October-November 2007 to the International Space Station. 

His second and final mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as commander in February 2010 to the ISS.

He has spent almost 29 days in space.

Endeavour (STS-130) launched 2010

STS-130 mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130), launched February 8, 2010, was the 10th flight of Endeavour to the International Space Station. Its crew consisted of Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts, Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken.

Patrick and Behnken performed 3 EVAs during the mission for a total of 18 1/2 hours.

They returned to Earth on February 22.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: George Zamka, first Colombian-American astronaut

Colonel George Zamka, born in Jersey City, New Jersey (in 1962!), is the first astronaut with Colombian (and Polish) ancestry to go to space. 

He graduated with a BS in Mathematics from the US Naval Academy and then was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USMC.  He was the pilot of Discovery (STS-120) in October-November 2007 to the International Space Station.

He was commander of Endeavour (STS-130) in February 2010.