Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Frank Culbertson!

Frank Culbertson, born May 15, 1949 in Charleston, South Carolina, has been in space three times, and is the only American not on Earth during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

His first flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-38) as pilot in November 1990.  The mission carried a classified payload for the Department of Defense.

His second flight was aboard Discovery (STS-51) as commander in September 1993.  The astronauts were filmed by a camera crew from the United Kingdom and the documentary was released as Space Shuttle Discovery.

His third and final flight was aboard Discovery (STS-105), launched in August 2001 as mission specialist to the International Space Station.  He was commander of the ISS during Expedition 3.  He conducted one space walk with fellow astronaut Vladimir Dezhurov for just over 5 hours.  He returned to Earth on Endeavour (STS-108) in December 2001.

Discovery (STS-105) launched 2001

STS-105 crew

Center (L-R) Fredeirck Sturckow, Patrick Forrester, Daniel Barry, Scott Horowitz

Top Left (L-R): James Voss, Yury Usachev, Susan Helms

Top Right (L-R): Mikhail Tyurin, Frank Culbertson, Vladimir Dezhurov

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-105), launched August 10, 2001, carried the third crew to the International Space Station and brought the second crew back home.  Its crew consisted of Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Frederick Sturckow, Patrick Forrester and Daniel Barry.  The members of Expedition 3 were Frank Culbertson, Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Dezhurov.

Barry and Forrester conducted 2 EVAs lasting a total of 11 hours and 45 minutes. Discovery returned to Earth August 22 with the crew of Expedition 2: Yury Usachev, James Voss and Susan Helms.

During the mission they woke up to Sting's Brand New Day!

Soyuz TM-21 launched 1995

From left to right: Norman Thagard, Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov

Mission patch

Soyuz TM-21, launched March 14, 1995, carried the first American on a Soyuz spacecraft and to board Mir.  The crew consisted of Vladimir Dezhurov, Flight Engineer Gennady Strekalov and Research cosmonaut Norman Thagard.  They would be expedition Mir EO-18.

It was the first time ever that thirteen humans had been in space simultaneously: 3 aboard Soyuz, 3 aboard Mir and 7 aboard Endeavour (STS-67)

Endeavour (STS-108) launched 2001

L-R: Mark Kelly, Linda Godwin, Daniel Tani, Dominic Pudwill Gorie

Mission Patch

Endeavour (STS-108) launched December 5, 2001, was the first mission after the 9/11 attacks and the crew honored the victims during the flight.  Endeavour's crew was Commander Dominic Pudwill Gorie, Pilot Mark E. Kelly, Mission Specialist Linda Godwin and Mission Specialist Daniel Tani.

She carried the crew of Expedition 4 to the International Space Station: Yuri Onufrienko, Carl Walz and Daniel Bursch.  On her return, she brought back the crew of Expedition 3: Frank Culbertson, Mikhail Turin, and Vladimir Dezhurov.

An American flag that was recovered the morning of Sept 12, 2001 from the site of the World Trade Center wreckage, a USMC flag recovered from the Pentagon and an American flag flown over the State Capital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania flew on the Endeavour that mission.

Also, 23 badges of fallen NYPD officers and 6000 small American flags to honor those lost flew on the Space shuttle.  The 6000 flags were given to families who lost loved ones on 9/11.

During the mission Linda Godwin and Daniel Tani performed an EVA which lasted a little over 4 hours.  Endeavour landed on December 17.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Vladimir Dezhurov!

Veteran cosmonaut/astronaut Vladimir Dezhurov, born July 30, 1962, in the former Soviet Union, has traveled on Soyuz and the Space Shuttle to Mir and the International Space Station.  He has logged 9 EVAs at just over 37 hours total.  Not bad for only 2 trips to space!

His first mission was aboard Soyuz TM-21, launched in March 1995 to Mir.  This mission saw the first American, Norman Thagard, to ride on a Soyuz spacecraft.  Dezhurov returned to Earth in July 1995 on the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-71).

He flew to the ISS in August 2001 aboard the Discovery (STS-105) and returned in December aboard the Endeavour (STS-108).