Happy birthday, astronaut Susan Helms!

Susan Jane Helms, born February 26, 1958 in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a veteran of five Space Shuttle flights.  She attained the rank of Lieutenant General in the US Air Force before retiring.

Her first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-54) as mission specialist in January 1993. She spent almost 6 days in space, making 96 orbits of Earth.  

Her second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-64) as mission specialist in September 1994.  She spent almost 11 days in space and completed 176 orbits of Earth.

Her third mission was aboard Columbia (STS-78) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in June-July 1996. She spent almost 17 days in space and completed 271 orbits of Earth.

Her fourth trip was aboard Atlantis (STS-101) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in May 2000. The wake up call on Day 2, Free Fallin' by Tom Petty was dedicated to Helms. She spent almost 10 days in space and completed 155 orbits of Earth.

Her fifth and final mission started on Discovery (STS-102) as mission specialist to the International Space Station launched in March 2001.  She participated in Expedition 2 on the ISS, conducting an EVA on March 11.  She returned to Earth aboard Discovery (STS-105) in August 2001, having spent over 167 days in space.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Blaine Hammond!

Blaine Hammond, born January 16, 1952 in Savannah, Georgia, has been in space twice.  He became a pilot and an instructor in the US Air Force.

His first mission was aboard Discovery (STS-39) as pilot in April-May 1991.  Its main purpose was dedicated to the Department of Defense.

His second and last flight was aboard Discovery (STS-64) as pilot in September 1994.  The mission was the first untethered EVA in 10 years.

He spent over 19 days in space.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Richard Richards!

Richard Richards, born August 24, 1946 in Key West, Florida, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights.

His first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-28) as pilot in August 1989.  The mission was dedicated to the Department of Defense.

His second flight was aboard Discovery (STS-41) as commander in October 1990.  The primary mission was the deployment of the Ulysses probe.

His third flight was aboard Columbia (STS-50) as commander in June-July 1992.  It was the first time the US Microgravity Laboratory was taken into orbit.

His fourth and final flight was aboard Discovery (STS-64) as commander in September 1994.  The mission saw the first untethered EVA in ten years.

Discovery (STS-64) launched 1994

STS-64 crew

Front Row (L-R): Blaine Hammond, Richard Richards, Susan Helms

Back Row (L-R): Mark Lee, Jerry Linenger, Carl Meade

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-64) launched September 9, 1994. Its crew consisted of Commander Richard Richards, Pilot Blaine Hammond, Jerry Linenger, Susan Helms, Carl Meade, and Mark Lee.

Lee and Meade conducted an untethered EVA to test a new backpack called Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER), designed to be used in the event a crew member becomes untethered during a spacewalk.

They returned to Earth September 20.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Mark Lee!

Mark Lee, born August 14, 1952 in Viroqua, Wisconsin, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights.

His first flight was on Atlantis (STS-30) as mission specialist in May 1989.  The main objective of the mission was to deploy the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

His second mission was on Endeavour (STS-47) as mission specialist in September 1992. Also on board was Lee's then-wife Jan Davis, whom he had married secretly a few weeks prior to the flight.  NASA was forced to waive the rule about married couples not assigned to the same mission.  Lee and Davis later divorced.

Lee's third flight was on Discovery (STS-64) as mission specialist in September 1994.  Lee conducted an EVA with fellow astronaut Carl Meade for almost 7 hours.

Lee's fourth and final mission was again on Discovery (STS-82) as mission specialist in February 1997.  He conducted 3 EVAs with fellow astronaut Steven Smith lasting over 19 hours total.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Jerry Linenger!

Jerry Michael Linenger, born January 16, 1955 in East Detroit, Michigan, is a veteran of 3 Space Shuttle flights and one mission aboard Mir.  After graduating from the US Naval Academy in 1977 down here in Annapolis, Maryland, he went to medical school, eventually getting a Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina in 1989.

His first trip into space was aboard Discovery (STS-64) in September 1994 as mission specialist.  Dr. Linenger's second mission was on Atlantis (STS-81) in January 1997 to the space station Mir, where he stayed for 132 days as part of Expedition EO-22.  While on board, he became the first American astronaut to conduct an EVA from a foreign spacecraft, wearing a foreign-made spacesuit.

He returned to Earth aboard Atlantis (STS-84) in May 1997.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Carl Meade!

Carl Joseph Meade, born November 16, 1950 in Illinois, obtained the rank of Colonel in the US Air Force and is a veteran of 3 space shuttle flights.

His first mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-38) (the anniversary of its launch was yesterday) in November 1990 as mission specialist.

His second flight was on Columbia (STS-50) in June 1992 also as mission specialist.

His third and final mission was on Discovery (STS-64) in September 1994.  During this flight, Meade tested the self-rescue jetpack, performing the first untethered spacewalk in 10 years.  He spent over 3 1/2 hours maneuvering the jetpack.