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Mess cooking
Posts: 36
| Subject: Submariner Astronaut
Tonight at 19:55 the Space Shuttle Endeavour will launch from the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-126 to the International Space Station. The Navy's undersea warfare community is amply represented on this mission as Captain Stephen Bowen is on the crew as Mission Specialist #2. Formerly the XO of USS Virginia (SSN-774), Capt. Bowen is NASA's first submariner astronaut. He also served aboard the Parche (SSN-683), Pogy (SSN-647), and Augusta (SSN-710). Also aboard Endeavour as Mission Specialist #1 is Captain Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, a Diving and Salvage Officer. Piper and Bowen will conduct space walks in support of the mission after arrival at the ISS. Commanding STS-126 is Navy Captain Chris Ferguson, a naval aviator and veteran astronaut.
The launch can be watched live at:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
Dave Johnston |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 877
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
And a good friend of mine will be there...monitoring the telemetry... Godspeed Endeavor |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1431
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
In 86 I answered a call looking for guys who wanted to be astronaut candidates but it turned out I was a year over the age limit. Oh Well at least I tried. |
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Mess cooking
Posts: 36
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
I have long thought that submariners would make excellent astronauts, especially the nukes. Astronauts don't actually do a whole lot of flying anymore and submariners are used to operating and maintaining complex systems, living in a closed environments, and operating under very dangerous conditions. More submariners should apply!
Dave
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Senior Crew
Posts: 124
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
The first commander of the International Space Station was Bill Shepherd, a Navy SEAL. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 539
Location: Palm Bay, Florida | Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
In 1985 I was a semi-finalist, for the state of Virginia, in the NASA Teacher in Space Program. I thank God on a regular basis that I was not selected to be aboard Challanger.
I'll be watching Endeavour from the front yard this evening. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 402
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
I may be wrong or confused on this but...wasn't Cooper involved with one of the sea labs back in the 60's? It was after his NASA days.
God speed to Endeavour and her crew!
Steve |
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Mess cooking
Posts: 36
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
It was actually Scott Carpenter. He was pretty firmly in the doghouse with Deke Slayton and the rest of the NASA brass due to his lackluster performance on his Mercury flight so NASA really didn't protest too much when he took a leave of absence to participate in the Navy's SeaLab project. He eventually resigned from NASA in 1967 without having flown a 2nd flight.
Dave
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 602
Location: Visalia, Ca. | Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
Ah.....
Cdr Bowen may be the first Submarine-Qualified Unrestricted Line Officer to serve as an astronaut, but he is not the first dolphin-wearing astronaut.
CDR Laurel Blair Salton Clark, MD, Submarine and Diving Medical officer, flew on and was lost with Space Shuttle Columbia in January 2003. She was Subron 14 Medical Officer in 1991. She also qualified and served as Flight Surgeon for Marine Aircraft Group 13. Among her fellow crewmembers on that tragic flight were Cdr. Willie McCool (Pilot) and Capt. David M. Brown, MD, (Mission Specialist).
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 557
| Subject: RE: Submariner Astronaut
Don't demote Bowen. He is a Captain, NOT Commander. |
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Submariner Astronaut
