Gregory H. Johnson
From The Space Library
 Gregory H. Johnson | |
| Birth Name | Gregory H. Johnson |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | May 12 1962 |
| Occupation | NASA Astronaut, (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) |
Contents |
Personal Data
Born on May 12, 1962, in South Ruislip, Middlesex, United Kingdom. Married to the former Cari M. Harbaugh of Lubbock, Texas. They have three children: Matthew, Joseph and Rachel. Considers Fairborn, Ohio, and Traverse City, Michigan, his hometowns. Recreational interests include traveling, biking, golfing, music, duplicate bridge and woodworking.
Education
In 1980, Johnson graduated from Park Hills High School in Fairborn, Ohio. He received his B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1984 and his M.S. in flight structures engineering from Columbia University in 1985. In 2005, Johnson received his MBA from the University of Texas (Austin).
Experience
A USAF Academy graduate in May 1984, Johnson was designated as an Air Force pilot in May 1986 at Reese Air Force Base (AFB), Texas. He was retained as a T-38A instructor pilot at Reese until 1989. Johnson was next selected as an F-15E Eagle pilot in the 335th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. In December 1990, Johnson was deployed to Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, flying 34 combat missions in support of Operation Desert Storm. In December 1992, he was again deployed to Saudi Arabia for 3 months, flying an additional 27 combat missions in support of Operation Southern Watch. In 1993, he completed Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California. After graduation in 1994, he was assigned to the 445th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, where he flew and tested F-15C/E, NF-15B and T-38A/B aircraft. Johnson has logged over 5,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft. He retired from the Air Force on February 1, 2009.
Spaceflight Experience
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1998, Johnson reported for training in August 1998. After 2 years of initial astronaut training, Johnson was assigned to the Shuttle Cockpit Avionics Upgrade council, redesigning cockpit displays for future space shuttle missions. Johnson served as chief of shuttle abort planning and ascent procedure development. He was also a key player on several "tiger teams," including the External Tank (ET) foam impact test team investigating the cause of the Columbia accident in 2003. This team proved that ET foam debris on ascent could critically damage the shuttle leading edge thermal protection system. Over the next 5 years, Johnson became the deputy chief and ultimately, the chief of the Astronaut Safety Branch, focusing on all aspects of space shuttle, International Space Station (ISS) and T-38 safety. In 2007, Johnson was selected to pilot Endeavour on the STS-123 mission that launched in March 2008. After he returned from the flight, Johnson served as a CAPCOM for STS-126, STS-119, STS-125 and STS-127. In 2009, he trained as pilot and primary robotic arm operator for STS-400, a contingency flight to rescue the crew of STS-125 (Hubble), but the rescue mission was not required. In May 2011, Johnson piloted Endeavour's final flight, STS-134. In October 2011, Johnson began a rotational assignment as the Associate Director of External Programs, Center Operations, at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. There he manages all public affairs, outreach, and educational programs at NASA Glenn. Johnson was pilot of STS-123 Endeavour (March 11 to March 26, 2008), the 25th shuttle/station assembly mission. Endeavour's crew delivered the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, the first pressurized component of JAXA's Kibo Laboratory and the final element of the station mobile servicing system, the Canadian-built Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator. In addition to pilot duties aboard Endeavour, Johnson was a primary robotic arm operator, employing both the space shuttle and ISS robotic arms in support of numerous tasks throughout the mission. The STS-123 crew performed a record five spacewalks while docked to the station. The crew also delivered Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and returned to Earth with ESA's Leopold Eyharts. The mission was accomplished in 250 orbits of the Earth, traveling more than 6 million miles in 15 days, 18 hours and 10 minutes. Johnson was pilot of STS-134 Endeavour (ISS assembly flight ULF6) (May 16 to June 1, 2011), the penultimate mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. The mission marked the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the 16-day mission, Endeavour delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts, including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robot. This was the 36th shuttle mission to the ISS. During this mission, Johnson was the lead robotic arm operator for both the space shuttle and ISS robotic arms. His duties included installing the AMS and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System on the ISS, completing ISS assembly. The STS-134 mission included four spacewalks and was completed in 15 days, 17 hours, 38 minutes and 23 seconds, traveling 6,510,221 miles in 248 Earth orbits.
Special Honours
NASA Space Medals (two); 2009 Rising Star Award - McCombs School of Business; 2005 Top Fox Safety Award; 2005 Dean's Award for Academic Excellence - McCombs School of Business; NASA Superior Performance Award; 1996 Lieutenant General Bobby Bond Award - Top USAF Test Pilot; Distinguished Graduate, USAF Test Pilot School, Class 94A; 1984 Distinguished Graduate with Honors - USAF Academy; Eagle Scout. Military decorations: Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medals (two) and Air Medals (four).
Other Information
Jan-12
