Astronaut ranks and positions

Last updated

Astronauts hold a variety of ranks and positions. Each of these roles carries responsibilities that are essential to the operation of a spacecraft. A spacecraft's cockpit, filled with sophisticated equipment, requires skills differing from those used to manage the scientific equipment on board, and so on.

Contents

NASA ranks and positions

Ranks

Members of the NASA Astronaut Corps hold one of two ranks. Astronaut Candidate is the rank of those training to be NASA astronauts.

Upon Graduation, candidates are promoted to Astronaut and receive their Astronaut Pin. The pin is issued in two grades, silver and gold, with the silver pin awarded to candidates who have successfully completed astronaut training and the gold pin to astronauts who have flown in space.

Chief of the Astronaut Office is a position, not a rank.

Positions

PositionDutiesExamplesComments
Mercury
PilotOverall mission success Mercury Seven As a single-seat spacecraft, the astronauts who flew the Mercury missions were referred to simply as "Pilots". Mercury Pilots were required to have experience as a pilot of high-performance jet aircraft and to be no more than 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall and weigh no more than 180 pounds (82 kg).
Gemini
Command PilotOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft James McDivitt McDivitt was the first rookie Command Pilot.
PilotServes as systems engineer, copilot, and would perform any other mission objectives such as EVA's during the Gemini program. Ed White White was the first American who made an EVA (extravehicular activity).
Apollo
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft, pilot in command of spacecraft during launch, trans-lunar coast, and Earth return coast. Also pilot in command of the Apollo Lunar Module. The commander would make the actual descent and landing of LM on the lunar surface, as well as the lunar ascent back to the orbiting CSM.Apollo 11 Commander: Neil Armstrong, first man on the Moon.

Apollo 11 Backup Commander: Jim Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13.

Command Module PilotResponsible for knowing the CSM and their systems fully. Serve as flight engineer during launch phase while commander would be in full control of the vehicle. Perform navigation and mid-course correction procedures during trans-lunar and trans-Earth phases of flight, command pilot of CSM during lunar orbit phase (when the mission commander is in control of the lunar module from separation phase until the LM docked back with CSM in lunar orbit). The CM pilot would also have other objectives during lunar orbit phase such as lunar photography, research and study for future landing sites for subsequent Apollo missions, deploy lunar satellite in some cases, as well as being responsible for relaying messages from mission control if radio contact with the LM was lost or weak, and also responsible for performing an orbital rescue with the LM if it were to malfunction and not be able to perform as needed to rendezvous with CSM as planned for in normal cases, but this never was needed. However, the CM pilot was responsible for docking the two ships together when the LM returned to orbit after being on the surface. On later J-series missions, the CM pilot would conduct an EVA on the return voyage to collect film canisters in the SIM bay. Michael Collins,
Backup CMP: William Anders
Lunar Module PilotFlight engineer of Apollo Lunar Module during descent and ascent of the LM also responsible for its systems during all phases of flight between Earth and Moon. The LMP would callout key information to the commander during the most critical descent and landing phases when all of the commander's attention would be focused out the window and on visually flying the LM to a suitable landing spot on the surface. He would also control the navigation computer and other subsystems of the craft while the commander had hands on the controls to fly the ship down manually the last portion of the descent when manual control was taken over from the computer. Buzz Aldrin, second man on the Moon
Backup LMP: Fred Haise 		Aldrin was the first person in space with a doctorate
Docking Module Pilot Deke Slayton, Mercury 7 astronaut,
Backup DMP: Jack Lousma 		Position only used once during Apollo–Soyuz joint mission
Skylab
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft Pete Conrad, first Skylab commander
Pilot Paul J. Weitz
Science Pilot Joseph P. Kerwin, first American physician in space
Space Shuttle
Commander Overall mission success, safety of crew and Shuttle, maneuvered Shuttle with assistance from Pilot. John Young, commander of the first Shuttle missionAll Shuttle commanders had prior spaceflight experience. [1] Required a degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. Must have had at least 1000 hours flying experience on a jet aircraft, [2] and at least 750 simulated landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft. [3] Must pass a NASA Class I space physical to be certified for flight. [4]
Pilot Assisted the Commander in maneuvering the Shuttle. May have also been responsible for release and recovery of satellites. Robert Crippen, flew the first Space Shuttle mission as pilotSame education and flight experience requirements as a Commander, [2] but does not need prior spaceflight experience.
Payload Commander (PLC) A Mission Specialist with additional responsibility for the management of the science or other major payload elements of the mission. [5] Story Musgrave, Michael P. Anderson Payload Commanders were always NASA astronauts.
Mission Specialist (MS)A NASA astronaut assigned to a Shuttle crew with mission-specific duties. Jerry L. Ross and Franklin Chang-Diaz each flew seven times as Shuttle Mission Specialists.Must pass a NASA Class II space physical to be certified for flight. [4]
Flight EngineerA Mission Specialist with additional responsibility of assisting the Pilot and Commander. The FE also kept track of information from CAPCOM and called out milestones. Story Musgrave, Sally Ride, Michael P. Anderson The FE is always mission specialist 2 and sits in the S4 seat on the Shuttle flight deck.
International Mission SpecialistSame as mission specialist but may have had payload-specific duties assigned by home agency. Hans Schlegel
Educator Mission Specialist Same as mission specialist but with additional education-related duties. Joseph M. Acaba, first Puerto Rican astronautPosition created in 2004 as part of the Educator Astronaut Project.
Payload Specialist Technical experts who accompanied specific payloads such as a commercial or scientific satellites.Payload Specialists were non-NASA personnel. The term was also applied to representatives from partner nations such as Saudi Arabia and Mexico who were given the opportunity to fly on the Space Shuttle.
USAF Manned Spaceflight Engineer Same as payload specialist, but were military personnel who accompanied military payloads. Gary Payton Payton and William A. Pailes were the only Manned Spaceflight Engineers to fly before the program's termination in 1988.
Spaceflight Participant People who travel aboard space missions coordinated by those agencies who are not part of the crew. Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in Space, Space Shuttle Challenger disasterThis term serves to distinguish tourists and other special travelers from the career astronauts.
Commercial Crew Program
Spacecraft CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft, manages ascent and entry Douglas G. Hurley, Demo-2 [6]
Joint Operations CommanderManages rendezvous, docking, and undocking with the ISS, and quiescent operations while docked Robert L. Behnken, Demo-2 Position only used once during the Demo-2 mission.
PilotAssist the Spacecraft Commander in maneuvering the capsule. Victor Glover, Crew-1 Used on NASA contracted Crew Dragon flights starting with Crew-1.
Mission SpecialistA NASA or affiliated astronaut with mission-specific duties. Soichi Noguchi, first Crew Dragon Mission Specialist,

Shannon Walker, Crew-1

Used on NASA contracted Crew Dragon flights starting with Crew-1.
Artemis program
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft. Reid Wiseman, Artemis 2
Pilot Victor Glover, Artemis 2
Mission SpecialistA NASA or affiliated astronaut with mission-specific duties. Jeremy Hansen, Artemis 2
Mission SpecialistA NASA or affiliated astronaut with mission-specific duties. Christina Koch, Artemis 2

Roscosmos and Soviet space program ranks and positions

Ranks

Cosmonauts are professional space travellers from Russia. After initial training, cosmonauts are assigned as either a test-cosmonaut (космонавт-испытатель, kosmonavt-ispytatel') or a research-cosmonaut (космонавт-исследователь, kosmonavt-issledovatel'). A test-cosmonaut has a more difficult preparation than a research-cosmonaut and can be the commander or the flight engineer of a spacecraft, while a research-cosmonaut cannot. [7]

Higher ranks include pilot-cosmonaut, test-cosmonaut instructor, and research-cosmonaut instructor. [7]

Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation is a title that is presented to all cosmonauts who fly for the Russian space program.

Positions

PositionDutiesExamplesComments
Vostok
Pilot CosmonautOverall mission success Yuri Gagarin, the first man in spaceAs a single-seat spacecraft, the cosmonaut who flew the Vostok missions were referred to simply as "Pilot Cosmonauts".
Voskhod
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft Vladimir Komarov, commanded the first multi-person flight
Second Pilot Alexei Leonov, the first person to perform a spacewalk
Scientist Cosmonaut Konstantin Feoktistov, the first engineer in space
Doctor Cosmonaut Boris Yegorov, the first doctor in space
Soyuz
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and spacecraft Vladimir Dzhanibekov, commander of missions to Salyut 6 and Salyut 7 space stations
Flight EngineerOne or two flight engineers per mission. Assist Commander and perform mission-specific duties Svetlana Savitskaya, the first female to perform a spacewalk
Spaceflight Participant No official dutiesTerm used for Soyuz passengers who are not part of the crew, and serves to distinguish tourists and other special travelers from the career astronauts.

China National Space Administration positions

Ranks

Similarly to NASA, members of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) hold one of two ranks. Astronaut Candidate is the rank of those training to be CNSA astronauts. The positions of Spacecraft Pilot, Flight Engineer, and Mission Payload Specialist were listed in the announcement for the Group 3 selection. [8]

Upon graduation, candidates are promoted to Astronaut.

Positions

PositionDutiesExamplesComments
Shenzhou
Commander (指挥长)Overall mission success, safety of crew and vehicle Yang Liwei, Shenzhou 5 (first crewed Shenzhou)TBA
Spacecraft PilotTBATBATBA
Flight Engineer (操作手/飞行工程师) [9] Overall mission success, science Nie Haisheng, Shenzhou 6 (first two-person Shenzhou)TBA
Orbital Module AstronautEva Crew Member Liu Boming (astronaut), Shenzhou 7 (first three-person Shenzhou)TBA
Descent module monitor astronautIntravehicular Specialist of the Eva Jing Haipeng, Shenzhou 7 (first three-person Shenzhou)TBA
OperatorPLACC Taikonauts who control the Shenzhou Spacecraft Chen Dong (astronaut), Shenzhou 11 TBA
Systems OperatorPLACC Taikonauts whose main responsibility is the System of both Shenzhou and Tiangong Tang Hongbo (astronaut), Shenzhou 12
Payload Specialist (载荷专家) [9] Non-professional astronaut position responsible for scientific experiments and space exploration Gui Haichao (astronaut), Shenzhou 16 TBA

International Space Station positions

PositionDutiesExamplesComments
CommanderOverall mission success, safety of crew and Station. Peggy Whitson, first female commander
Flight EngineerOverall mission success, science Robert Thirsk, first Canadian astronaut to be part of an ISS expedition
Science OfficerPrimary responsibility for station's science experiments. A secondary position for an ISS Flight Engineer. Peggy Whitson, first science officerPosition established in 2002 by NASA to reinforce science aspect of ISS.
Spaceflight Participant No formal duties. Anousheh Ansari, first female space touristTerm used for ISS visitors who are not part of the crew, and serves to distinguish tourists and other special travelers from the career astronauts.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astronaut</span> Commander, pilot, or crew member of a spacecraft

An astronaut is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally reserved for professional space travelers, the term is sometimes applied to anyone who travels into space, including scientists, politicians, journalists, and tourists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleksandr Kaleri</span> Russian cosmonaut (born 1956)

Aleksandr "Sasha" Yuriyevich Kaleri is a former Russian cosmonaut and veteran of extended stays on the Mir Space Station and the International Space Station (ISS). Kaleri has most recently been in space in 2010 and 2011 aboard the ISS serving as a flight engineer for the long duration Expedition 25/26 missions. He has spent the fifth-longest time in space of any person, and the longest time in space of any person not born in what is now Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yury Lonchakov</span> Russian cosmonaut

Yury Valentinovich Lonchakov is a Russian former cosmonaut and a veteran of three space missions. He has spent 200 days in space and has conducted two spacewalks. From 2014 to 2017, Lonchakov served as head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandra Magnus</span> American astronaut

Sandra Hall Magnus is an American engineer and a former NASA astronaut. She returned to Earth with the crew of STS-119 Discovery on March 28, 2009, after having spent 134 days in orbit. She was assigned to the crew of STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle. She is also a licensed amateur radio operator with the call sign KE5FYE. From 2012 until 2018 Magnus was the executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

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

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">John E. Blaha</span> American astronaut

John Elmer Blaha is a retired United States Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five space missions aboard the Space Shuttle and Mir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael A. Baker</span> American astronaut

Michael Allen Baker is a retired captain in the United States Navy, former NASA astronaut, and the International Space Station Program Manager for International and Crew Operations, at NASA's Johnson Space Center. He is responsible for the coordination of program operations, integration and flight crew training and support activities with the International Partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth D. Cameron</span>

Kenneth Donald Cameron, , is a retired American naval aviator, test pilot, engineer, U.S. Marine Corps officer, and NASA astronaut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuri Gidzenko</span> Russian cosmonaut (born 1962)

Yuri Pavlovich Gidzenko is a Russian cosmonaut. He was a test cosmonaut of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (TsPK). Gidzenko has flown into space three times and has lived on board the Mir and the International Space Station. He has also conducted two career spacewalks. Although he retired on July 15, 2001, he continued his employment by a special contract until Soyuz TM-34 concluded. Since 2004 to May 2009, Gidzenko was the Director of the 3rd department within the TsPK. Since May 2009 he serves as the Deputy Chief of Cosmonaut Training Center TsPK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergei Krikalev</span> Soviet and Russian cosmonaut (born 1958)

Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev is a Russian mechanical engineer, former cosmonaut and former head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salizhan Sharipov</span> Kyrgyz cosmonaut (born 1964)

Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov is a Kyrgyz cosmonaut of Uzbek descent. Sharipov is a co-author and investigator for the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity project. He has been to space twice and has conducted two space walks. Sharipov retired on 18 July 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuri Usachov</span> Former Russian cosmonaut

Yury Vladimirovich Usachov is a former cosmonaut who resides in Star City, Moscow. Usachov is a veteran of four spaceflights, including two long-duration missions on board the Mir Space Station and another on board the International Space Station. During his career, he also conducted seven spacewalks before his retirement on April 5, 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Astronaut Badge</span> US military award badge for space flight

The United States Astronaut Badge is a badge of the United States, awarded to military and civilian personnel who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight. A variation of the astronaut badge is also issued to civilians who are employed with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as specialists on spaceflight missions. It is the least-awarded qualification badge of the United States military.

Shuttle–<i>Mir</i> program 1993–1998 collaborative Russia–US space program

The Shuttle–Mir program was a collaborative 11-mission space program between Russia and the United States that involved American Space Shuttles visiting the Russian space station Mir, Russian cosmonauts flying on the Shuttle, and an American astronaut flying aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to engage in long-duration expeditions aboard Mir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonid Kadeniuk</span> Ukrainian cosmonaut (1951–2018)

Leonid Kostyantynovych Kadenyuk was the first astronaut of independent Ukraine who flew into outer space. He flew on NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as part of the international mission STS-87. Kadenyuk held the rank of major general in the Ukrainian Air Force. He was Deputy of Ukraine of the 4th convocation, People's Ambassador of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, President of the Aerospace Society of Ukraine, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine and Chairman of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Honorary Doctor of Chernivtsi National University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas H. Wheelock</span> American engineer and astronaut (born 1960)

Douglas Harry "Wheels" Wheelock is an American engineer and astronaut. He has flown in space twice, logging 178 days on the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Russian Soyuz. On July 12, 2011, Wheelock announced that he would be returning to active duty with the United States Army in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is currently working with NASA to test the Orion spacecraft at the Glenn Research Center in Plum Brook, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satoshi Furukawa</span> Japanese surgeon and JAXA astronaut

Satoshi Furukawa is a Japanese surgeon and JAXA astronaut. Furukawa was assigned to the International Space Station as a flight engineer on long-duration missions Expedition 28/29, lifting off 7 June 2011 and returning 22 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergey Volkov (cosmonaut)</span> Retired Russian cosmonaut and engineer

Sergey Aleksandrovich Volkov is a retired Russian cosmonaut and engineer. He was a member of three missions to the International Space Station, spending more than a year in total in space. During his missions he did four spacewalks lasting more than 23 hours in total. Volkov retired from the Cosmonaut group in February 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASA Astronaut Group 8</span> 1978 American astronaut group

NASA Astronaut Group 8 was a group of 35 astronauts announced on January 16, 1978. It was the first NASA selection since Group 6 in 1967, and was the largest group to that date. The class was the first to include female and minority astronauts; of the 35 selected, six were women, one of them being Jewish American, three were African American, and one was Asian American. Due to the long delay between the last Apollo lunar mission in 1972 and the first flight of the Space Shuttle in 1981, few astronauts from the older groups remained, and they were outnumbered by the newcomers, who became known as the Thirty-Five New Guys (TFNG). Since then, a new group of candidates has been selected roughly every two years.

References

  1. ↑ Joe Engle flew on STS-2 without prior NASA spaceflight experience, but had flown the X-15 into space and had participated in the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests.
  2. 1 2 "Astronauts | Career | Education | Pilot | Commander | Mission Specialist | NASA | Space Shuttle | Flight – Page 1". Kidzworld.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  3. ↑ Bolden, Charles F. (2004-01-06). "Charles F. Bolden". NASA Johnson Space Center Oral History Project (Interview). Interviewed by Johnson, Sandra; Wright, Rebecca; Ross-Nazzal, Jennifer. Houston, Texas. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Astronauts | Career | Education | Pilot | Commander | Mission Specialist | NASA | Space Shuttle | Flight – Page 2". Kidzworld.com. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  5. ↑ "NASA – Space Shuttle Columbia and Her Crew". Nasa.gov. 2006-03-05. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  6. ↑ "Launch America: NASA, SpaceX to Launch First Astronauts to Space Station from U.S. Since 2011". nasa.gov. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  7. 1 2 McHale, Suzy. "RuSpace – Suzy's Russian space site". Suzymchale.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-26. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  8. ↑ Lei, Zhao. "18 picked for nation's 3rd generation of astronauts". China Daily. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  9. 1 2 林芷瑩 (3 October 2022). "何謂載荷專家　在太空站要從事什麼工作？". HK01 (in Chinese).
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.