|
![]() National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Lyndon
B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 |
NAME:
Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr. (Mr.)
NASA Astronaut (former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 21, 1933. Married to the former Judy Frances Massey of Princeton, North Carolina. They have two grown daughters.
EDUCATION: Graduated from West End High School, Birmingham, Alabama; received a bachelor of science degree in physics at Auburn University in 1954; performed graduate work in physics at Duke University and in astronautics at the Air Force Institute of Technology; and awarded a master of science degree in engineering science from the University of Tennessee in 1971.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal; the General Thomas D. White Space Trophy for 1973 (1974). Inducted into Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame (1983). Distinguished Civilian Service Award (DOD) (1982). NASA Distinguished Service Medals (1982, 1988). NASA Space Flight Medals (1982, 1984, 1985). NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988). Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Auburn University (1986). Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service (1996).
EXPERIENCE: Hartsfield received his commission through
the Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) at Auburn University. He entered
the Air Force in 1955, and his assignments have included a tour with the 53rd
Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bitburg, Germany. He is also a graduate of the
USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was an instructor
there prior to his assignment in 1966 to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory
(MOL) Program as an astronaut. After cancellation of the MOL Program in June
1969, he was reassigned to NASA.
He has logged over 7,400 hours flying time -- of which over 6,150 hours are
in the following jet aircraft: F-86, F-100, F-104, F-105, F-106, T-33, and T-38.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Hartsfield became a NASA astronaut in
September 1969. He was a member of the astronaut support crew for Apollo 16
and served as a member of the astronaut support crew for the Skylab 2, 3, and
4 missions.
Hartsfield retired in August 1977 from the United States Air Force with more
than 22 years of active service but continues his assignment as a NASA astronaut
in a civilian capacity. He was a member of the orbital flight test missions
group of the astronaut office and was responsible for supporting the development
of the Space Shuttle entry flight control system and its associated interfaces.
Hartsfield served as backup pilot for STS-2 and STS-3, Columbia's second
and third orbital flight tests. A veteran of three space flights, Hartsfield
has logged 483 hours in space. He served as the pilot on STS-4 (June 27 to July
4, 1982), and was the spacecraft commander on STS-41D (August 30 to September
5, 1984) and STS-61A (October 30 to November 6 1985).
From 1986 to 1987 Mr. Hartsfield served as the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut
Office. In 1987, he became the Deputy Director for Flight Crew Operations, supervising
the activities of the Astronaut Office and the Aircraft Operations Division
at the Johnson Space Center.
In 1989, he accepted a temporary assignment in the Office of Space Flight, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. There he served as Director of the Technical
Integration and Analysis Division reporting directly to the Associate Administrator
for Space Flight. In this assignment he was responsible for facilitating the
integration of the Space Station and its unique requirements into the Space
Shuttle systems. His office also served as a technical forum for resolving technical
and programmatic issues.
In 1990, Mr. Hartsfield accepted another temporary assignment as the Deputy
Manager for Operations, Space Station Projects Office, at the Marshall Space
Flight Center, Alabama. In that capacity he was responsible for the planning
and management of Space Station Operations and Utilization Capability Development
and operations activities including budget preparation. Later in that assignment
he also acted as the Deputy Manager for the Space Station Projects Office.
In 1991, Mr. Hartsfield accepted the position of the Man-Tended Capability (MTC)
Phase Manager, Space Station Freedom Program and Operations (SSFPO), with a
duty station at the Johnson Space Center. Reporting directly to the Deputy Director,
SSFPO, he represented the Deputy Director in providing appropriate program guidance
and direction to the Space Shuttle Program, and across the Space Station Freedom
Program for all MTC phase mission unique activities to assure appropriate resolution
of issues.
In December 1993, Mr. Hartsfield accepted the position of Manager, International
Space Station Independent Assessment. In this capacity he reports directly to
the Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance and manages and
focuses the oversight activities and assessment of the International Space Station
Alpha Program.
In September 1996, the scope of Mr. Hartsfield's work was expanded to include
independent assessment of the programs and projects of the Human Exploration
and Development of Space (HEDS) Enterprise and he was named Director, HEDS Independent
Assurance.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-4, the fourth and final
orbital test flight of the Shuttle Columbia, launched from Kennedy Space
Center, Florida, on 27 June 1982. He accompanied Thomas K. Mattingly (spacecraft
commander) on this seven-day mission designed to: further verify ascent and
entry phases of Shuttle missions; perform continued studies of the effects of
long-term thermal extremes on the Orbiter subsystems; and conduct a survey of
Orbiter-induced contamination on the Orbiter payload bay. Additionally, the
crew operated several scientific experiments located in the Orbiter's cabin
as well as in the payload bay. These experiments included the Continuous Flow
Electrophoresis System (CFES), designed to investigate the separation of biological
materials in a fluid according to their surface electrical charge. The crew
was credited with effecting an in-flight repair which enabled them to activate
the first operational "Getaway Special" which was comprised of nine
experiments that ranged from algae and duckweed growth in space, to fruit fly
and brine shrimp genetic studies. STS-4 completed 112 orbits of the Earth before
landing on a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on July
4, 1982. Mission duration was 169 hours 11 minutes, 11 seconds.
STS-41D launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. The
crew included Mike Coats (pilot), Judy Resnik, Steve Hawley, and Mike Mullane
(mission specialists), and Charlie Walker (payload specialist). This was the
maiden flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During the six-day mission the
crew successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed
three satellites, SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C, operated the CFES-III
experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, and photography experiments
using the IMAX motion picture camera. The crew earned the name "Icebusters"
when Hartsfield successfully removed a hazardous ice-buildup from the Orbiter
using the Remote Manipulator System. STS-41D completed 96 orbits of the Earth
before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.
Mission duration was 144 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds.
STS-61A, the West German D-1 Spacelab mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center,
Florida, on October 30, 1985. The crew included Steve Nagel (pilot), Jim Buchli,
Guy Bluford and Bonnie Dunbar (mission specialists), and Reinhard Furrer, Ernst
Messerschmid, and Wubbo Ockels (payload specialists). The seven-day mission
was the first with eight crew members, and the first Spacelab science mission
planned and controlled by a foreign customer. More than 75 scientific experiments
were completed in the areas of physiological sciences, materials processing,
biology, and navigation. After completing 111 orbits of the Earth, STS-61A landed
at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 6, 1985. Mission duration
was 168 hours, 44 minutes, 51 seconds.
AUGUST 1997
This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.