posted 07-29-2014 02:43 PM               

Astronaut Mike Massimino departs NASA for university position

After almost two decades with NASA, including two space shuttle missions, astronaut Mike Massimino left the space agency Monday (July 28) for a full-time position with Columbia University in New York.

Massimino’s experience at NASA includes two shuttle missions to service the agency's Hubble Space Telescope. During the final servicing mission, STS-125 in 2009, Massimino became the first astronaut to tweet from space, which led to a significant social media following.

“Mike has played a significant role within the astronaut office in his time here,” said Bob Behnken, Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. “His technical expertise was extremely helpful in the many roles he fulfilled, not the least of which was his part in the successful Hubble servicing missions.”

“Mike embraced the opportunity to engage with the public in new ways and set the stage for more space explorers to be able to share their mission experience directly with people around the globe. We wish him well in his new role fostering the dreams and innovations of students just beginning their career paths,” Behnken said.

A native of New York, Massimino earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and went on to accrue four additional degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He holds two master's degrees, one in mechanical engineering and a second in technology and policy, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering.

Massimino joined NASA in 1996. Prior to his first spaceflight assignment, he served in the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch and in the Astronaut Office Extravehicular Activity (EVA, or spacewalk) Branch. Following his first spaceflight, he served in 2002 as a spacecraft communicator in mission control and as the Astronaut Office Technical Liaison to Johnson’s EVA Program Office.

He also logged more than 570 hours in space, including 30 hours of spacewalks. His first mission was STS-109 in 2002, during which the seven-person Columbia crew successfully upgraded Hubble with a new power unit, Advanced Camera for Surveys, and solar arrays. STS-109 set a mission record for spacewalk time with 35 hours and 55 minutes over five spacewalks. Massimino performed two spacewalks during STS-109 totaling 14 hours and 46 minutes.

During STS-125, Massimino spent six days servicing and upgrading Hubble with the assistance of crewmates aboard shuttle Atlantis. STS-125 overtook the record set on STS-109, with 36 hours and 56 minutes over five spacewalks. Massimino’s spacewalks on this mission totaled 15 hours and 58 minutes.

posted 07-29-2014 08:09 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by dogcrew5369:
I just wish he could have flown to the ISS.

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posted 07-30-2014 10:50 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by dogcrew5369:
I just wish he could have flown to the ISS.

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Agree wholeheartedly. NASA missed a trick by denying Massimino an ISS expedition/visit.

At a critical time in its history, Massimino was the most telegenic of NASA's astronauts. They need to sell the programme to the taxpaying US public. Anyone who has watched the "Inside ISS" features with Massimino knows what I mean.

posted 10-08-2014 12:06 PM               

Intrepid museum appoints former NASA astronaut Michael J. Massimino as senior advisor, space pro

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has appointed former NASA astronaut Michael J. Massimino, Ph. D., as its Senior Advisor, Space Programs.

In the role, Massimino will provide content advice on all space-related exhibitions, education programming and events at the museum. His first efforts with the Museum include co-curating the upcoming HUBBLE@25 exhibit, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, opening October 23, 2014. Massimino also has shaped the ancillary public events that will take place in the months following the opening of the exhibit.

posted 10-08-2014 04:50 PM               

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Originally posted by Michael Cassutt:
Massimino wasn't "denied" an ISS visit: he, like STS-125 commander Scott Altman, was too tall for Soyuz.

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Massimino is 6'3" and from what I read on the Canadian Space Agency website you have to be under 6'3". Maybe he was denied because of height.

posted 12-12-2015 07:46 PM               

Today they had Mike Massamino talk for over hour about his two missions to repair the Hubble telescope. He started with a overview of his education (his BA is from there and he is a full professor there now). He then talked about how he applied as an astronaut (he was rejected the first three times, but got in on the forth application) He then spent quiet some time on the missions and had some great photos and videos including having to rip the handle off the Hubble after he stripped the bolt trying to remove it. And he finished with a nice Q&A session.

posted 10-02-2016 08:59 PM               

Big news! My website is now up! Please check it out: mikemassimino.com, and please let me know what you think!!