L. Blaine Hammond

Last updated

Lloyd Blaine Hammond Jr.
L Blaine Hammond.jpg
Born (1952-01-16) January 16, 1952 (age 70)
Savannah, Georgia
StatusRetired
NationalityAmerican
Occupation Test Pilot
Space career
NASA Astronaut
Rank Colonel, USAF
Time in space
19d 06h 11m
Selection 1984 NASA Group
Missions STS-39, STS-64
Mission insignia
 Sts-39-patch.png Sts-64-patch.png

Lloyd Blaine Hammond Jr. (born January 16, 1952) is a Gulfstream test pilot, a former United States Air Force officer, and a former NASA astronaut. He flew on two Space Shuttle missions.

Contents

Education

Hammond was born on January 16, 1952, in Savannah, Georgia, but considers St. Louis, Missouri his hometown. He graduated from Kirkwood High School in 1969 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, science, and mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy in 1973 and a Master of Science degree in engineering science and mechanics from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1974. He is a member of the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, the Air Force Association, and the Order of Daedalians.

Awards and honors

Military career

Hammond received his pilot wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in 1975. He was assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany, flying the F4E from 1976 to 1979. In 1979–1980, he was an Instructor Pilot in the F-5B/E/F at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, training foreign national students. He attended the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) at Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) Boscombe Down, United Kingdom, in 1981. Hammond returned to Edwards Air Force Base, California, in 1982, where he managed projects in the 6512 Test Squadron until being assigned as an instructor at the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards. As a test pilot school instructor, he flew the F-4, A-7 Corsair II, and A-37, and was the High Angle of Attack program monitor, teaching stall/spin theory and flight training.

He logged over 4,500 hours in 15 American and 10 RAF aircraft.

NASA career

Selected by NASA in May 1984, Hammond became an astronaut in June 1985 and qualified for assignment as a pilot/commander on Space Shuttle flight crews. His technical assignments included serving in Mission Control as an ascent/entry spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM). In that capacity he was directly involved in the decision-making process for flight rules, procedures, techniques, and launch commit criteria. He was also assigned as an Astronaut Support Person (ASP), or "Cape Crusader," responsible for monitoring Orbiter status as it undergoes testing and maintenance at John F. Kennedy Space Center during preparations for the next flight. Hammond also served as the lead astronaut supporting the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) which tests and verifies the flight software for each Shuttle mission. Hammond was the lead astronaut supporting Orbiter software development and changes, including the Global Positioning System (GPS) avionics upgrade. He also worked on designing new cockpit flight instruments/systems displays for the Multifunctional Electronic Display System (MEDS), a major cockpit upgrade to electronic display systems. A veteran of two space flights, Hammond logged over 462 hours in space. He flew on STS-39 in 1991, and STS-64 in 1994.

Following STS-64, Hammond completed 5 months of intensive Russian language training as preparation for assignment as the Deputy for Operations, Russia. That assignment was subsequently changed to NASA Liaison to USAF HQ/AFSPC, Colorado Springs, where he worked several issues to strengthen ties between NASA, AFSPC, and USAF Astronauts. Hammond was also assigned as Lead Ascent/Entry CAPCOM for missions STS-73 through STS-78. During the same period, Hammond served as the Branch Chief of the Flight Support Branch, supervising CAPCOM and ASP activities. Hammond last assignment at NASA was as the Branch Chief of the Astronaut Office Safety Branch where he monitored all T-38, Shuttle, and Space Station safety issues.

Spaceflight experience

Hammond flew as pilot of Discovery on STS-39, the first unclassified Department of Defense mission (April 28 to May 6, 1991). He logged 199 hours and 23 minutes of space flight. The seven-man crew performed numerous scientific experiments to collect data on atmospheric infrared and ultraviolet phenomena including a deploy and rendezvous in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative Office (SDIO).

He was the pilot on STS-64 aboard the Discovery. Mission highlights included: first use of lasers for environmental research; deployment and retrieval of a solar science satellite; robotic processing of semiconductors; use of RMS boom for jet thruster research; first untethered spacewalk in 10 years to test a self-rescue jetpack. Mission duration was 10 days, 22 hours, 51 minutes. [1]

Aviation career

Hammond is a test pilot for Gulfstream Aerospace, in Las Vegas, Nevada with wife Kathy. His son Michael Blaine, born on June 20, 1987, lives in Houston, Texas.

Related Research Articles

Eileen Collins American astronaut and pilot (born 1956)

Eileen Marie Collins is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force (USAF) colonel. A former flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a Space Shuttle mission.

Paul Lockhart American test pilot, aeronautical engineer and astronaut

Paul Scott "Paco" Lockhart is an American aerospace engineer, retired United States Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut, a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions.

Robert F. Overmyer US Navy pilot and NASA astronaut

Colonel 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.

Duane G. Carey

Duane Gene "Digger" Carey is a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force and a former NASA astronaut.

Brian Duffy (astronaut) Former American astronaut

Brian Duffy is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He flew aboard four Space Shuttle missions.

Sidney M. Gutierrez American astronaut

Sidney McNeill Gutierrez, is an American pilot and former NASA astronaut. Since retiring from NASA, Gutierrez has worked in several leadership positions at Sandia National Laboratories and Rocket Crafters Inc.

Charles O. Hobaugh Former NASA astronaut and U.S. Marine Corps officer

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.

Guy Gardner (astronaut)

Guy Spence Gardner is a United States Air Force officer and a former astronaut. He holds the rank of colonel. He flew as pilot on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-27 and STS-35. Gardner was also the 12th president of the Williamson College of the Trades.

Steven Lindsey American astronaut

Steven Wayne Lindsey is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. Lindsey served as Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office from September 2006 until October 2009.

Carl J. Meade American astronaut

Carl Joseph Meade is a former NASA astronaut.

Steven R. Nagel

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.

Stephen S. Oswald American astronaut

Stephen Scot Oswald is an American former pilot and NASA astronaut.

Mark L. Polansky

Mark Lewis "Roman" Polansky is an American aerospace engineer and research pilot and a former NASA astronaut. Polansky received the nickname "Roman" as a joke, because he shares a last name with director Roman Polanski. He flew on three Space Shuttle missions: STS-98, STS-116, and STS-127 and was first person of Korean ancestry in space.

Charles J. Precourt American astronaut

Charles Joseph Precourt is a retired NASA astronaut. His career in flight began at an early age, and spans his entire lifetime. He served in the US Air Force, piloted numerous jet aircraft, and piloted and commanded the Space Shuttle. Notably, he piloted or commanded several missions which involved docking with the Russian Mir space station and was heavily involved in Russian/US Space relations as well as the International Space Station collaboration. He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1998 to 2002. He retired from the USAF with the rank of colonel.

Richard A. Searfoss

Richard Alan Searfoss was an American aviator who was United States Air Force colonel, NASA astronaut and test pilot.

Rex J. Walheim United States Air Force officer, engineer and a NASA astronaut.

Rex Joseph Walheim is a retired United States Air Force officer, engineer and NASA astronaut. He flew three Space Shuttle missions, STS-110, STS-122, and STS-135. Walheim logged over 566 hours in space, including 36 hours and 23 minutes of spacewalk (EVA) time. He was assigned as mission specialist and flight engineer on STS-135, the final Space Shuttle mission.

Eric Boe American astronaut

Eric Allen Boe is a retired United States Air Force fighter pilot, Colonel, test pilot, and a current, active NASA astronaut. He flew as the pilot of Space Shuttle missions STS-126 and STS-133.

Gregory H. Johnson American astronaut

Gregory Harold "Box" Johnson is a former NASA astronaut and a retired colonel in the United States Air Force. Johnson is a veteran of two space flights, STS-123 and STS-134. He served as pilot on his first mission, which delivered the Kibo logistics module and the Dextre robot arm to the International Space Station. Johnson was also assigned as the pilot to the STS-134 mission, which launched on May 16, 2011 and landed on June 1, 2011. Greg Johnson has also served in numerous roles for NASA including as a Capcom for several missions. Gregory H. Johnson was the President and Executive Director for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) until March 10th, 2018. He is now working with Lockheed Martin.

Kevin A. Ford

Kevin Anthony Ford is a retired United States Air Force Colonel and NASA astronaut. Ford has received a number of special honors and awards, some of which are the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Ford has also logged more than 6,100 flying hours and also holds FAA certificates for airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and balloons. Ford has served in many roles at NASA since his selection in July 2000. The roles include as a Capsule Communicator or CAPCOM. He was also the Director Of Operations at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia from January 2004 to January 2005. He was Pilot of STS-128 and Flight Engineer 2 of Soyuz TMA-06M from October 23, 2012 to March 16, 2013. He served as ISS Flight Engineer for Expedition 33, and Commander of Expedition 34.

Alvin Drew American astronaut

Colonel Benjamin Alvin Drew is a United States Air Force officer and a former NASA astronaut. He has been on two spaceflights; the first was the Space Shuttle mission STS-118 to the International Space Station, in August 2007. Drew's second spaceflight took place in March 2011 on STS-133, another mission to the International Space Station. STS-133 was Space Shuttle Discovery's final mission. Drew took part in two spacewalks while docked to the station. Drew was the final African-American to fly on board a Space Shuttle, as the final two Space Shuttle missions, STS-134 and STS-135, had no African-American crew members.

References

  1. ↑ "L. BLAINE HAMMOND, JR (COLONEL, USAF, RET.) NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. December 1988. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
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.