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Author
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Topic: Future shuttle/station flight assignments
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astro-nut
Member Posts: 946
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 01-14-2008 01:35 PM
   
I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not if astronauts Rick Sturckow, Jeff Ashby and Pam Melroy would be getting their fourth flight aboard a future shuttle mission? Other pilots from their group have flown (or will fly their 4th mission this year). Any input would be very helpful. Thank you. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-14-2008 01:47 PM
This thread includes comments by Melroy made after STS-120 where she expresses "mixed feelings" about commanding another mission.To my knowledge, Ashby is still in Colorado. His has been omitted from NASA's own Astronauts roster poster for the past two revisions (2006-2007, 2007). Whether Sturckow (or really any of the three) fly again though, is up to the flight assignment process, which as you are probably well aware, cannot be predicted. |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 01-14-2008 02:13 PM
How much say does a shuttle mission commander have on naming the rest of the crew? I notice that CAPT Jett's last mission, with the execption of Dr. MacLean, was all Navy (okay, one USCG, but they wear the same wings). Can a shuttle commander hand pick his crews? |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-14-2008 07:54 PM
It's likely the remaining Shuttle flights with un-assigned crews (STS-128 through 133 ~ 6 slots) will be commanded by individuals picked from the following list:Group 15: Melroy; Sturckow. Group 16: Frick, Hobaugh, J. Kelly, M. Kelly. Group 17: Ham, G.C. Johnson, G.H. Johnson, Poindexter, Zamka. As far as having a say in who their crews are comprised of, I would guess they're probably consulted about possible choices and preferences from the list of available candidates (especially where the mission Pilot is concerned). Crews are put together according to mission requirements, individual Astronaut strengths and specialties, and in a way where they compliment each other. I've noticed that quite a few times, crews will include a mission specialist who flew with the commander on their previous mission (Frick/Walheim; M. Kelly/Fossum; Ferguson/Stephanshyn-Piper; Archambault/Swanson to name a few currently assigned). This might be due to the fact that the commander has developed a working relationship with the mission specialist, knows his/her strengths, and specifically requested to have that individual on their crew. But I could be wrong on that. |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 01-15-2008 08:00 AM
My guess is (and it's just a guess) is that the six flights (128 - 133) will be commanded by pilots with one flight under their belt. Using Delta7's list my guess is: Hobaugh, Hamm, both Johnson's, Poindexter and Zamka. The others on that list I expect will be heavily into training for Orion missions. Tim |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-15-2008 08:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by KSCartist:
My guess is (and it's just a guess) is that the six flights (128 - 133) will be commanded by pilots with one flight under their belt.
I pretty much agree with that assessment, except that I wouldn't rule out Sturckow flying another Shuttle mission. |
hlbjr
Member Posts: 475
From: Delray Beach Florida USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 01-15-2008 08:43 AM
I'm surprised Jim Kelly has not yet received a command. He seems ripe for a command with his 2 pilot missions under his belt. If no shuttle command, is it because he's moved on to Orion? |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-15-2008 08:59 AM
quote:
Originally posted by hlbjr:
If no shuttle command, is it because he's moved on to Orion?
I think someone on another thread mentioned that Kelly is more focused on flying Orion, and bypassed the opportunity to command a Shuttle mission. He's currently chief of the Capcom branch of the Astronaut Office, though. Seems kind of odd. One would think he'd be heavily involved in Orion design and development, like Lee Morin and J.R. Reilly to name a few. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-15-2008 09:14 AM
Another observation: the last 6 Shuttle flights will pretty much be crewed by veteran Astronauts. There are only a handful of un-assigned rookies (Ford, Virts and Wilmore from the Class of 2000; Bresnick, Dutton, Furokawa, Hernandez, Metcalfe-Lindenburger, Satcher and Yamazaki from the Class of 2004). I'm excluding Neil Woodward from the Class of 1998; if he were going to fly he would have been assigned by now, and has been assigned to a post at NASA HQ for most of the decade.There are 6 pilot slots, and at least 24-30 Mission Specialist slots yet to be filled (not to mention ISS slots), so quite a few of the current Astronaut Corps will get another flight before the Shuttles are retired. 4 of the pilot slots will be filled by Ford, Virts, Wilmore and probably Ron Garan after he flies as MS on STS-124. The question is will Randy Bresnick and/or Jim Dutton fly as Pilot or MS. They might fly the Shuttle as Mission Specialist in order to gain spaceflight experience for Orion. If so, guys like Eric Boe and Tony Antonelli might actually get a second flight as pilot. I also think we might see an increased exodus of older, veteran Astronauts as the Shuttle program winds down, either into management positions or leaving NASA entirely. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 01-15-2008 08:42 PM
Do we know which of the MS bunch are focusing more on ISS long term occupancy training as opposed to shorter term shuttle flights? There is some overlap of course (such as with Petit getting a shuttle flight after his Expedition 6 tenure), but I am curious as to which of the unassigned MSes currently on file are heading the ISS direction. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-15-2008 09:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
Do we know which of the MS bunch are focusing more on ISS long term occupancy training as opposed to shorter term shuttle flights? There is some overlap of course (such as with Petit getting a shuttle flight after his Expedition 6 tenure), but I am curious as to which of the unassigned MSes currently on file are heading the ISS direction.
I read interviews in the past year where both Al Drew and Christer Fuglesang expressed a desire to go the ISS route. Whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen. Also, Doug Wheelock is certified as a Soyuz return commander, so that might be an indication of future plans. |
kimmern123
Member Posts: 83
From: Norway
Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 01-16-2008 12:08 PM
Fuglesang is scheduled for an ISS-assembly flight. ESA recommended him as their first candidate for assignment on an assembly flight last summer. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-16-2008 02:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by kimmern123:
Fuglesang is scheduled for an ISS-assembly flight. ESA recommended him as their first candidate for assignment on an assembly flight last summer.
I believe the ESA has 2 more guaranteed seats on Shuttle flights, according to an agreement made several years ago. If Fuglesang will fill one of them, either Paolo Nespoli or Hans Schlegel will likely get the other. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-17-2008 08:39 AM
Astronaut Office members currently assigned to ISS expedition crews (prime and/or backup):Group 14: Coleman, Hadfield, Wakata.
Group 16: Fincke, S. Kelly, Magnus, Noguchi, Williams.
Group 17: Chamitoff, Creamer, Eyharts, Reisman, Thirsk.
Group 18: Barratt, Kopra, Stott.
Group 19: Walker. Active astronauts certified as ISS crewmembers, but not currently assigned to a crew: Group 12: Foale.
Group 14: Lopez-Alegria
Group 15: Robinson.
Group 17: Anderson, Williams. And, of course, Whitson and Tani currently aboard the ISS, as well as Pettit and Phillips currently assigned to Shuttle crews. I imagine there's a good chance that Suni Williams and Clay Anderson will be re-cycled into future ISS crews. Either Satoshi Furokawa or Naoko Yamazaki will likely be named as backup to Soichi Noguchi for Expedition 20. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 946
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 01-18-2008 11:38 AM
What is the status with astronauts Kay Hire, Mario Runco and Shannon Lucid? I spoke to a NASA employee who said that Shannon would like to fly again on the shuttle. Does anyone have any updates with these astronauts? Thank you. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-18-2008 11:48 AM
Mario Runco is no longer a member of the Astronaut office, having retired in the mid-90s. He still works at JSC. Lucid is listed as a "Management Astronaut", which means she is not on the list of Astronauts available for assignment (according to the NASA Astronaut Biographies main page). At age 65, and with 5 missions under her belt, she probably has flown her last mission. As for Hire, I'm not sure. She's the lead Astronaut Support Crewmember at KSC, but hasn't flown in a decade. She did go on leave from NASA for a couple of years as a Naval Reservist, but has been back for a few years now. Maybe she'll wind up on one of the last few Shuttle flights. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-19-2008 08:47 AM
It recently dawned on me that there are a handful of current Astronauts who will never fly a Shuttle mission (other than visiting one while it's docked to the ISS).Mike Fincke flew to the ISS and back on a Soyuz on Expedition 9, and is scheduled to do the same on Expedition 18. Mike Barratt and T.J. Creamer are scheduled to launch and return by Soyuz on their first flight, and Shannon Walker will likely do the same eventually. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 01-30-2008 11:15 AM
Does anyone know the inside scoop of why two astronaut-selectees were never given a flight assignment? I'm talking specifically about Yvonne Cagle and Fernando "Frank" Caldeiro. Both are members of the Class of 1996, and neither is on the current NASA Astronaut Poster (both are in Management/Support positions at JSC).I always kind of assumed it was a medical issue, until seeing an interview with Caldeiro in 2005 in which he professed to not know why he hadn't flown 9 years after his selection, but was still hopeful that he eventually would. I'd like to believe the era of capricious black-balling of individuals in the Astronaut Office ended with the George Abbey era, but maybe I'm wrong. I do remember seeing a story a few years ago about allegations of racial discrimination in the Astronaut Office. The point was being made that of the members of the Astronaut Class of 1996, only a handful had not yet received flight assignments, including the three African-American women members of that class (Cagle, Joan Higgenbotham and Stephanie Wilson). I believe Steve Hawley, who was Director of Flight Crew Operations at the time, was called before a Congressional committee to refute the charge. Is it possible that Cagle instigated the charge, and has been black-balled ever since? It just seems odd that NASA would go through all the expense and effort to train these two and not fly them at least once, without any kind of stated reason. Even Abbey would let you get that first flight; it was the second one that was always in question. |
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