Astronauts Elevating STEM Education
Galactic Gratitude in Action
Higher Orbits is galactically grateful to the Astronauts who support our space-inspired STEM events for students. Meet the out-of-this-world individuals who have been integral to our Go For Launch! and Space at Home initiatives, taking education to new celestial heights.
Selected by NASA in January 1990, Dr. Thomas became an astronaut in July 1991. Dr. Thomas has served in the Safety, Operations Development, and Payloads Branches of the Astronaut Office. He was CAPCOM (spacecraft communicator) for Shuttle missions STS-47, 52 and 53. From July 1999 to June 2000 he was Director of Operations for NASA
Captain Wendy Lawrence is a retired naval aviator and NASA astronaut. As a helicopter pilot, she made several shipboard deployments to the North Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Kenya. After earning a master’s degree in ocean engineering from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Lawrence was selected as an astronaut in 1992 and worked at
Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Following Astronaut Candidate Training, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Station Branch representing the Astronaut Office on training issues. He was then assigned to the Space Shuttle Branch as a liaison between the Johnson Space Center and the
Greg H. Johnson a decorated fighter pilot, test pilot and Astronaut, flew as the Pilot of STS-123 (delivering the first part of the Japanese module Kibo to the International Space Station) and STS-134 (the final flight of Endeavour) and has completed nearly 500 orbits of Earth. Former President and Executive Director of the Center for
Nicole Stott is a veteran of 2 spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). Highlights of her spaceflight missions include 3 Space Shuttle flights (STS128, STS129, STS133), 2 ISS Expeditions (20 & 21), 1 spacewalk, flying the robotic arm for the first track and capture of
Charles Joseph “Charlie” Camarada is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut who flew his first mission into space on board the Space Shuttle mission STS-114, NASA’s “Return to Flight” mission following Columbia. He served as Senior Advisor for Engineering Development at NASA Langley Research Center.
Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger grew up along the Front Range of Colorado. She graduated from Fort Collins High School, where she ran on two state championship cross-country teams and placed second as a Science Olympiad team. A scholar athlete, she ran cross-country and track and earned her B.A. in Geology from Whitman College. She went on to
Hire began work at the Kennedy Space Center in May 1989,first as an Orbiter Processing Facility 3 Activation Engineer and later as a Space Shuttle Orbiter Mechanical Systems Engineer for Lockheed Space Operations Company. In 1991 she was certified as a Space Shuttle Test Project Engineer (TPE) and headed the checkout of the Extravehicular Mobility
Captain, US Navy (Retired) Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in May 1984, Culbertson completed basic astronaut training in June 1985. He became lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); lead of the First Emergency Egress Team; and lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control Center for seven missions. He flew as
Currently consults with various firms in the areas of spacecraft design, assembly, and flight operations, and micro-gravity research. This has included launch vehicle evaluation and systems engineering support for Motorola on Iridium; avionics architecture, generation of performance specification, and generation of performance map for small expendable launch vehicle; and constellation configuration and launch vehicle performance
Astronaut Robert Curbeam is a veteran of three space flights, STS-85, STS-98, STS-116. He has logged over 901 hours in space as a Mission Specialist and is tied for the record of most spacewalks (4 on STS-116) in a single spaceflight. In total, he has spent more than 45 hours conducting 7 space walks. He
Astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson is a pilot, aerospace engineer, retired Naval Officer and retired Astronaut. He has flown 5 space shuttle missions including the first space shuttle mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. He also served as the Chief of the Astronaut office and after retiring from NASA flew for Southwest Airlines
RICK MASTRACCHIO is an engineer and former astronaut who flew on 3 shuttle missions: STS-106, STS-118 and STS-131. He also served as the flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 38/39. He’s done a total of 9 spacewalks and spent more than 227 days in space. Today Mastracchio is the Senior Director of
A Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (Navy Exchange Pilot), Astronaut Dominic “Tony” Antonelli accumulated over 3,200 hours in 41 different kinds of aircraft prior to being selected as a pilot by NASA in 2000. In 2009 he piloted his first mission aboard space shuttle Discovery for STS-119, which delivered the
Doug Hurley joined Propulsion Systems in August 2021 as the senior director of Business Development.Doug was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2000, and piloted space shuttle mission STS-127 in July 2009 as well as STS-135 in July 2011, the final flight of the space shuttle program. He launched into space for the third time
Astronaut Jim Reilly is a geologist and retired Astronaut who flew as a Mission Specialist on 3 Space Shuttle missions: STS-89, STS-104, STS-117. He has logged over 853 hours in space, including 5 spacewalks totaling 31 hours and 10 minutes. Prior to NASA, he served as chief geologist at Enserch Exploration, Inc., working on projects
Astronaut Mike Good is a retired NASA astronaut, engineer and retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He flew aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for its STS-125 mission, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, and flew as mission specialist 2 to the International Space Station on STS-132.
Selected by NASA in January 1990, Dr. Thomas became an astronaut in July 1991. Dr. Thomas has served in the Safety, Operations Development, and Payloads Branches of the Astronaut Office. He was CAPCOM (spacecraft communicator) for Shuttle missions STS-47, 52 and 53. From July 1999 to June 2000 he was Director of Operations for NASA
Captain Wendy Lawrence is a retired naval aviator and NASA astronaut. As a helicopter pilot, she made several shipboard deployments to the North Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Kenya. After earning a master’s degree in ocean engineering from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Lawrence was selected as an astronaut in 1992 and worked at
Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Following Astronaut Candidate Training, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Station Branch representing the Astronaut Office on training issues. He was then assigned to the Space Shuttle Branch as a liaison between the Johnson Space Center and the
Greg H. Johnson a decorated fighter pilot, test pilot and Astronaut, flew as the Pilot of STS-123 (delivering the first part of the Japanese module Kibo to the International Space Station) and STS-134 (the final flight of Endeavour) and has completed nearly 500 orbits of Earth. Former President and Executive Director of the Center for
Nicole Stott is a veteran of 2 spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). Highlights of her spaceflight missions include 3 Space Shuttle flights (STS128, STS129, STS133), 2 ISS Expeditions (20 & 21), 1 spacewalk, flying the robotic arm for the first track and capture of
Charles Joseph “Charlie” Camarada is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut who flew his first mission into space on board the Space Shuttle mission STS-114, NASA’s “Return to Flight” mission following Columbia. He served as Senior Advisor for Engineering Development at NASA Langley Research Center.
Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger grew up along the Front Range of Colorado. She graduated from Fort Collins High School, where she ran on two state championship cross-country teams and placed second as a Science Olympiad team. A scholar athlete, she ran cross-country and track and earned her B.A. in Geology from Whitman College. She went on to
Hire began work at the Kennedy Space Center in May 1989,first as an Orbiter Processing Facility 3 Activation Engineer and later as a Space Shuttle Orbiter Mechanical Systems Engineer for Lockheed Space Operations Company. In 1991 she was certified as a Space Shuttle Test Project Engineer (TPE) and headed the checkout of the Extravehicular Mobility
Captain, US Navy (Retired) Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in May 1984, Culbertson completed basic astronaut training in June 1985. He became lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); lead of the First Emergency Egress Team; and lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control Center for seven missions. He flew as
Currently consults with various firms in the areas of spacecraft design, assembly, and flight operations, and micro-gravity research. This has included launch vehicle evaluation and systems engineering support for Motorola on Iridium; avionics architecture, generation of performance specification, and generation of performance map for small expendable launch vehicle; and constellation configuration and launch vehicle performance
Astronaut Robert Curbeam is a veteran of three space flights, STS-85, STS-98, STS-116. He has logged over 901 hours in space as a Mission Specialist and is tied for the record of most spacewalks (4 on STS-116) in a single spaceflight. In total, he has spent more than 45 hours conducting 7 space walks. He
Astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson is a pilot, aerospace engineer, retired Naval Officer and retired Astronaut. He has flown 5 space shuttle missions including the first space shuttle mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. He also served as the Chief of the Astronaut office and after retiring from NASA flew for Southwest Airlines
RICK MASTRACCHIO is an engineer and former astronaut who flew on 3 shuttle missions: STS-106, STS-118 and STS-131. He also served as the flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 38/39. He’s done a total of 9 spacewalks and spent more than 227 days in space. Today Mastracchio is the Senior Director of
A Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (Navy Exchange Pilot), Astronaut Dominic “Tony” Antonelli accumulated over 3,200 hours in 41 different kinds of aircraft prior to being selected as a pilot by NASA in 2000. In 2009 he piloted his first mission aboard space shuttle Discovery for STS-119, which delivered the
Doug Hurley joined Propulsion Systems in August 2021 as the senior director of Business Development.Doug was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2000, and piloted space shuttle mission STS-127 in July 2009 as well as STS-135 in July 2011, the final flight of the space shuttle program. He launched into space for the third time
Astronaut Jim Reilly is a geologist and retired Astronaut who flew as a Mission Specialist on 3 Space Shuttle missions: STS-89, STS-104, STS-117. He has logged over 853 hours in space, including 5 spacewalks totaling 31 hours and 10 minutes. Prior to NASA, he served as chief geologist at Enserch Exploration, Inc., working on projects
Astronaut Mike Good is a retired NASA astronaut, engineer and retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He flew aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for its STS-125 mission, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, and flew as mission specialist 2 to the International Space Station on STS-132.
Selected by NASA in January 1990, Dr. Thomas became an astronaut in July 1991. Dr. Thomas has served in the Safety, Operations Development, and Payloads Branches of the Astronaut Office. He was CAPCOM (spacecraft communicator) for Shuttle missions STS-47, 52 and 53. From July 1999 to June 2000 he was Director of Operations for NASA
Captain Wendy Lawrence is a retired naval aviator and NASA astronaut. As a helicopter pilot, she made several shipboard deployments to the North Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Kenya. After earning a master’s degree in ocean engineering from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Lawrence was selected as an astronaut in 1992 and worked at
Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Following Astronaut Candidate Training, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Station Branch representing the Astronaut Office on training issues. He was then assigned to the Space Shuttle Branch as a liaison between the Johnson Space Center and the
Greg H. Johnson a decorated fighter pilot, test pilot and Astronaut, flew as the Pilot of STS-123 (delivering the first part of the Japanese module Kibo to the International Space Station) and STS-134 (the final flight of Endeavour) and has completed nearly 500 orbits of Earth. Former President and Executive Director of the Center for
Nicole Stott is a veteran of 2 spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). Highlights of her spaceflight missions include 3 Space Shuttle flights (STS128, STS129, STS133), 2 ISS Expeditions (20 & 21), 1 spacewalk, flying the robotic arm for the first track and capture of
Charles Joseph “Charlie” Camarada is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut who flew his first mission into space on board the Space Shuttle mission STS-114, NASA’s “Return to Flight” mission following Columbia. He served as Senior Advisor for Engineering Development at NASA Langley Research Center.
Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger grew up along the Front Range of Colorado. She graduated from Fort Collins High School, where she ran on two state championship cross-country teams and placed second as a Science Olympiad team. A scholar athlete, she ran cross-country and track and earned her B.A. in Geology from Whitman College. She went on to
Hire began work at the Kennedy Space Center in May 1989,first as an Orbiter Processing Facility 3 Activation Engineer and later as a Space Shuttle Orbiter Mechanical Systems Engineer for Lockheed Space Operations Company. In 1991 she was certified as a Space Shuttle Test Project Engineer (TPE) and headed the checkout of the Extravehicular Mobility
Captain, US Navy (Retired) Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in May 1984, Culbertson completed basic astronaut training in June 1985. He became lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); lead of the First Emergency Egress Team; and lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control Center for seven missions. He flew as
Currently consults with various firms in the areas of spacecraft design, assembly, and flight operations, and micro-gravity research. This has included launch vehicle evaluation and systems engineering support for Motorola on Iridium; avionics architecture, generation of performance specification, and generation of performance map for small expendable launch vehicle; and constellation configuration and launch vehicle performance
Astronaut Robert Curbeam is a veteran of three space flights, STS-85, STS-98, STS-116. He has logged over 901 hours in space as a Mission Specialist and is tied for the record of most spacewalks (4 on STS-116) in a single spaceflight. In total, he has spent more than 45 hours conducting 7 space walks. He
Astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson is a pilot, aerospace engineer, retired Naval Officer and retired Astronaut. He has flown 5 space shuttle missions including the first space shuttle mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. He also served as the Chief of the Astronaut office and after retiring from NASA flew for Southwest Airlines
RICK MASTRACCHIO is an engineer and former astronaut who flew on 3 shuttle missions: STS-106, STS-118 and STS-131. He also served as the flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 38/39. He’s done a total of 9 spacewalks and spent more than 227 days in space. Today Mastracchio is the Senior Director of
A Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (Navy Exchange Pilot), Astronaut Dominic “Tony” Antonelli accumulated over 3,200 hours in 41 different kinds of aircraft prior to being selected as a pilot by NASA in 2000. In 2009 he piloted his first mission aboard space shuttle Discovery for STS-119, which delivered the
Doug Hurley joined Propulsion Systems in August 2021 as the senior director of Business Development.Doug was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2000, and piloted space shuttle mission STS-127 in July 2009 as well as STS-135 in July 2011, the final flight of the space shuttle program. He launched into space for the third time
Astronaut Jim Reilly is a geologist and retired Astronaut who flew as a Mission Specialist on 3 Space Shuttle missions: STS-89, STS-104, STS-117. He has logged over 853 hours in space, including 5 spacewalks totaling 31 hours and 10 minutes. Prior to NASA, he served as chief geologist at Enserch Exploration, Inc., working on projects
Astronaut Mike Good is a retired NASA astronaut, engineer and retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He flew aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for its STS-125 mission, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, and flew as mission specialist 2 to the International Space Station on STS-132.