Frederick W. Sturckow

Last updated
Rick Sturckow
Rick Sturckow.jpg
Sturckow in 1995
Born
Frederick Wilford Sturckow

(1961-08-11) August 11, 1961 (age 63)
La Mesa, California, U.S.
Other namesCJ
Education California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (BS)
Florida Institute of Technology (MS)
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank Colonel, USMC
Time in space
51d 10h 20m
Selection NASA Group 15 (1994)
Missions STS-88
STS-105
STS-117
STS-128
VP-03
Unity 21
Unity 25
Galactic 02
Galactic 04
Galactic 06
Mission insignia
 Sts-88-patch.png Sts-105-patch.png STS-117 patch new2.svg STS-128 patch.png

Frederick Wilford "Rick" Sturckow (born August 11, 1961) is an engineer, retired United States Marine Corps officer, former NASA astronaut, and commercial spacecraft pilot. Sturckow is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. He flew as a pilot on STS-88 and STS-105 and as a commander on STS-117 and STS-128. All four missions docked with the International Space Station, making Sturckow one of three American astronauts to visit the station four times. Sturckow later was assigned to the Johnson Space Center as a CAPCOM. He left NASA in 2013 to become a pilot for Virgin Galactic. [1]

Contents

Personal

Sturckow was born La Mesa, California, but considers Lakeside, California, to be his hometown. He is married to the former Michele A. Street of Great Mills, Maryland. [2] He enjoys flying and physical training. His father, Karl H. Sturckow, resides in Whittier, California, and his mother, Janette R. Sturckow, resides in La Mesa. He was a member of the Marine Corps Association (MCA) and a former member of Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP).

Sturckow has the nickname "CJ", which stands for "Caustic Junior". It was given to him when he was a young Marine, because he resembled a squadron commander who was appropriately called "Caustic". [3]

Education

Sturckow graduated from Grossmont High School, La Mesa, California, in 1978. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 1984, and a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Florida Institute of Technology in 2000.

Awards and honors

Defense Superior Service Medal, Single Mission Air Medal with Combat "V", Strike/Flight Air Medals (4), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, NASA Space Flight Medals (4).

Military career

View of Astronaut Rick Sturckow, STS-117 Commander, giving the thumbs up while wearing a Marine Corps hat S117E09480 - STS-117 - Sturckow gives the thumbs up in the Node 1 - DPLA - e3014a70a2c9fe249ad35cfa138829b1.jpg
View of Astronaut Rick Sturckow, STS-117 Commander, giving the thumbs up while wearing a Marine Corps hat

Sturckow was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1984. An honor graduate of The Basic School, he earned his aviator wings in April 1987. Following initial F/A-18 training at VFA-125, he reported to VMFA-333, MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. While assigned to VMFA-333 he made an overseas deployment to Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines and was then selected to attend the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in March 1990. In August 1990, he deployed to Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain for a period of eight months. Sturckow flew a total of forty-one combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. In January 1992 he attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California. In 1993 he reported to the Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, for duty as the F/A-18 E/F Project Pilot. Sturckow also flew a wide variety of projects and classified programs as an F/A-18 test pilot.

Sturckow retired from the Marine Corps as a colonel, in September, 2009, after 25 years of active duty service. He has logged over 6,500 flight hours in more than 60 different aircraft. [4]

NASA career

STS-88 Pilot Rick Sturckow poses for a photo on the aft flight deck with the International Space Station (ISS) stack reflected in the overhead windows. STS088-366-024 - STS-088 - View of the STS-88 crew on the flight deck - DPLA - f67a8e942716efcd17846496c62f7ff5.jpg
STS-88 Pilot Rick Sturckow poses for a photo on the aft flight deck with the International Space Station (ISS) stack reflected in the overhead windows.

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Sturckow reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. He completed a year of training and evaluation and was assigned to work technical issues for the Vehicle Systems and Operations Branch of the Astronaut Office. He served as pilot on STS-88 in 1998 (the first International Space Station assembly mission), and on STS-105 in 2001. Sturckow was the commander of the STS-117 mission in 2007, and of the STS-128 mission launched on August 28, 2009. [5] Sturckow was also the launch CAPCOM for STS-130 in February 2010, [6] and for STS-131 in April 2010. [7] On January 13, 2011, NASA named Sturckow as the backup commander for STS-134. [8] The appointment allowed the commander, Mark Kelly (who subsequently flew the mission), to continue to support his wife, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, while she recovered from an attempted assassination.

Sturckow left NASA in March 2013. During his 18-year tenure, he served in multiple technical and leadership roles supporting Johnson Space Center's Astronaut Office including chief of the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) Branch and chief of the International Space Station Branch. [9]

Post-NASA career

On May 8, 2013, Virgin Galactic announced [10] they had hired Sturckow for flight testing of the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft and the White Knight Two aircraft, as the company prepares for subsequent commercial operations. On December 13, 2018, he reached outer space with the VSS Unity according to America's definition of the space border. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny Carter</span> American astronaut, chemist, and U.S. Navy officer (1947–1991)

Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter Jr., M.D., , was an American chemist, physician, professional soccer player, naval officer and aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut who flew on STS-33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Hauck</span> American captain and astronaut (born 1941)

Frederick Hamilton "Rick" Hauck is a retired captain in the United States Navy, a former fighter pilot and NASA astronaut. He piloted Space Shuttle mission STS-7 and commanded STS-51-A and STS-26.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Buchli</span> American astronaut (born 1945)

James Frederick Buchli is a retired United States Marine aviator and former NASA astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karol J. Bobko</span> American astronaut (1937–2023)

Karol Joseph "Bo" Bobko was an American aerospace engineer, U.S. Air Force officer, test pilot, and a USAF and NASA astronaut. Bobko was the first graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy to travel in space and the first person to fly on three different space shuttles across three different missions: STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert F. Overmyer</span> American astronaut (1936–1996)

Robert Franklyn "Bob" Overmyer was an American test pilot, naval aviator, aeronautical engineer, physicist, United States Marine Corps officer, and USAF/NASA astronaut. Overmyer was selected by the Air Force as an astronaut for its Manned Orbiting Laboratory in 1966. Upon cancellation of the program in 1969, he became a NASA astronaut and served support crew duties for the Apollo program, Skylab program, and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. In 1976, he was assigned to the Space Shuttle program and flew as pilot on STS-5 in 1982 and as commander on STS-51-B in 1985. He was selected as a lead investigator into the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, retiring from NASA that same year. A decade later, Overmyer died while testing the Cirrus VK-30 homebuilt aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Thagard</span> American astronaut, scientist, and Marine Corps officer (born 1943)

Norman Earl Thagard is an American scientist and former U.S. Marine Corps officer and naval aviator and NASA astronaut. He is the first American to ride to space on board a Russian vehicle, and can be considered the first American cosmonaut. He did this on March 14, 1995, in the Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft for the Russian Mir-18 mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew M. Allen</span> American astronaut (born 1955)

Andrew Michael "Andy" Allen is a retired American astronaut. A former Marine aviator and lieutenant colonel, he worked as a test pilot before joining NASA in 1987. He flew three Space Shuttle missions before retiring in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert D. Cabana</span> American astronaut (born 1949)

Robert Donald Cabana is a former Associate Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and retired NASA astronaut, having flown on four Space Shuttle flights. He served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1994 to 1997 and as director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center from 2008 to 2021. He is also a former naval flight officer and naval aviator in the United States Marine Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick D. Gregory</span> American astronaut and 10th NASA Deputy Administrator (born 1941)

Frederick Drew Gregory is a former United States Air Force pilot, military engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut as well as former NASA Deputy Administrator. He also served briefly as NASA Acting Administrator in early 2005, covering the period between the departure of Sean O'Keefe and the swearing in of Michael D. Griffin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles O. Hobaugh</span> American astronaut and US Marine Corps officer (born 1961)

Charles Owen Hobaugh is a former NASA astronaut and a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer. He has had three spaceflights, all of which were Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station, lasting between 10 and 13 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven R. Nagel</span> American test pilot, astronaut and engineer (1946–2014)

Steven Ray Nagel, , was an American astronaut, aeronautical and mechanical engineer, test pilot, and a United States Air Force pilot. In total, he logged 723 hours in space. After NASA, he worked at the University of Missouri College of Engineering as an instructor in its Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan D. O'Connor</span> American astronaut and naval aviator (born 1946)

Bryan Daniel O'Connor is a retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and former NASA astronaut. He was inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert C. Springer</span> American test pilot and astronaut (born 1942)

Robert Clyde Springer is a retired American astronaut and test pilot who flew as a mission specialist on two NASA Space Shuttle missions in 1989 and 1990. A decorated aviator in the United States Marine Corps, Springer also flew more than 500 combat sorties during the Vietnam War. He has logged over 237 hours in space and 4,500 hours flying time, including 3,500 hours in jet aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Ham</span> US astronaut and naval aviator (born 1964)

Kenneth Todd "Hock" Ham is a retired American astronaut and a captain in the United States Navy. Ham was selected for NASA's astronaut program in August 1998, while serving as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet lead carrier suitability test pilot. Ham's aviator call sign is "Hock". Ham traveled to space twice as part of the Space Shuttle program. He flew on STS-124 as pilot and then on STS-132 as mission commander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George D. Zamka</span> American astronaut

George David "Zambo" Zamka is a former NASA astronaut and United States Marine Corps pilot with over 3500 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. Zamka piloted the Space Shuttle Discovery in its October 2007 mission to the International Space Station and served as the commander of mission STS-130 in February 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Loria</span> American astronaut

Christopher Joseph "Gus" Loria is a retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and a medically retired NASA astronaut. He was originally scheduled to fly on STS-113 as pilot; however, he was grounded from spaceflight due to a severe back injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randolph Bresnik</span> United States Marine Corps officer and a NASA astronaut on three expeditions

Randolph James "Komrade" Bresnik is a retired officer in the United States Marine Corps and an active NASA astronaut. A Marine Aviator by trade, Bresnik was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 19 in May 2004. He first launched to space on STS-129, then served as flight engineer for Expedition 52, and as ISS commander for Expedition 53.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Hurley</span> Former NASA astronaut (born 1966)

Douglas Gerald Hurley is an American engineer, former Marine Corps pilot, and former NASA astronaut. He piloted Space Shuttle missions STS-127 and STS-135, the final flight of the Space Shuttle program. He launched into space for the third time as commander of Crew Dragon Demo-2, the first crewed spaceflight from American soil since STS-135 and became, together with Bob Behnken, the first astronaut in history launching aboard a commercial orbital spacecraft. He was also the first Marine to fly the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. His call sign is "Chunky", and he was sometimes referred to by this name on the communication loops.

VSS <i>Unity</i> VP-03 First SpaceShipTwo spaceflight

VP-03 was a sub-orbital spaceflight of the SpaceShipTwo-class VSS Unity which took place on 13 December 2018, piloted by Mark P. Stucky and co-piloted by Frederick W. "CJ" Sturckow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark P. Stucky</span> American astronaut

Mark P. "Forger" Stucky is an American test pilot and commercial astronaut. In these roles, he was an employee of Virgin Galactic, a private spaceflight company which is developing sub-orbital space tourism flights.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Science: Space, Environment & Trends". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  2. ↑ "Astronaut Biography: Frederick Sturckow". www.spacefacts.de. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  3. ↑ MSNBC (2007). "A look at the shuttle Atlantis' crew". NBC News . Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ "NASA Astronaut Rick "CJ" Sturckow Leaves Agency". NASA. May 9, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  5. ↑ NASA (2009). "NASA's Shuttle and Rocket Launch Schedule". NASA. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  6. ↑ "STS-130: Spectacular Liftoff". NASA. February 8, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  7. ↑ "STS-131: Discovery Launch Lights Morning Sky". NASA. April 5, 2010. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  8. ↑ "NASA Announces Backup Commander For STS-134 Mission". NASA. January 13, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  9. ↑ "NASA Astronaut Rick "CJ" Sturckow Leaves Agency". NASA. May 9, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  10. ↑ "VIRGIN GALACTIC ADDS TWO PILOTS TO COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TEAM". August 5, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  11. ↑ Malik, Tariq (2018-12-13). "Virgin Galactic's 4th Powered Test Flight of SpaceShipTwo Unity in Twitter Posts". Space.com. Retrieved 2020-11-01.

General references

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.