posted 12-01-2022 02:08 PM               

NASA Astronaut Tom Marshburn to Retire

Veteran spacewalker and flight surgeon Tom Marshburn is retiring from NASA after 28 years, including 18 years as an astronaut. His last day with the agency is Saturday, Dec. 31.

As an astronaut, Marshburn spent 337 days in space, traveling to the International Space Station three times on three different spacecraft — the space shuttle, Soyuz, and SpaceX Crew Dragon — and performed five spacewalks during his three spaceflights.

The Statesville, North Carolina, native recently served as pilot for NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the space station, the third long-duration mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Throughout the mission, Marshburn and his Expedition 66/67 crewmates performed more than 250 scientific investigations designed to benefit all of humanity and help future exploration.

During the Crew-3 mission, astronauts worked on a variety of plant growth experiments, testing new systems for growing crops and studying potentially drought-resistant cotton plants. In addition, they tested a handheld bioprinter designed to create bandages made from skin cells directly onto a wound, and a miniature scanning electron microscope. Crew members also installed a new device to support studies on fire safety in microgravity, and conducted one of the first archaeological experiments in space. Marshburn also took part in a spacewalk that successfully replaced a faulty antenna on the Port-1 truss structure.

"Tom Marshburn is an exceptional example of the astronauts that walk the halls here at NASA. His positive contributions to our mission as a flight surgeon, astronaut, and mentor have left an indelible impact," said Norm Knight, director of Flight Operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "Future crew members and colleagues will continue to benefit from his work as we continue to revolutionize spaceflight in low-Earth orbit and on our Artemis missions to the Moon and to Mars."

Dr. Marshburn came to Johnson in November 1994 as a flight surgeon, assigned to support space shuttle medical operations and the joint U.S./Russian space program. The certified emergency physician spent years supporting NASA personnel deployed to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia, and was co‐chair of medical operations for the Shuttle/Mir Program. He was medical operations lead for the space station until being selected to become an astronaut in May 2004.

"I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Tom for his dedication and service to human space exploration," said, NASA's Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche. "Tom's leadership and achievements to benefit humanity throughout the duration of his career with the agency will bequeath and inspire the next the generation of explorers, the Artemis generation, who will carry us to even greater heights."

Dr. Marshburn completed astronaut candidate training in February 2006. His first spaceflight was in 2009 aboard the shuttle Endeavour. Highlights of the 15-day STS-127 mission to the station included a record 13 astronauts working aboard the station representing all five international partner agencies, and delivery of the Japanese‐built Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section. He performed three spacewalks during the mission. His second spaceflight launched in December 2012 aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. During his first long-duration flight, Expedition 34/35, he logged more than 146 days in space, and 5 hours and 30 minutes of emergency spacewalk time to replace a leaking ammonia pump.

"It's beyond difficult to say farewell to the friends and colleagues I've worked with around the world over the past 28 years," Dr. Marshburn said. "It has been the honor of my life to have participated in our nation's human spaceflight endeavors, especially with my immensely talented and visionary colleagues throughout NASA. They've been on the forefront of enabling private companies to join the human spaceflight community and I'm excited for the new challenges ahead."

Dr. Marshburn graduated from Henderson High School, Atlanta, Georgia, in 1978. He received a bachelor's degree in physics from Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, in 1982, a master's in engineering physics from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, in 1984, a doctorate in medicine from Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1989, and a master's in medical science from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1997.

posted 12-02-2022 09:19 AM               

Sierra Space Bolsters Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy Team

Hires Veteran NASA Astronaut and Former Head of ISS Medical Operations Dr. Tom Marshburn as Chief Medical Officer

Sierra Space, a leading space company building the first end-to-end business and technology platform in space, today announced Thomas H. Marshburn, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer for the company's Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy. Dr. Marshburn will report to Sierra Space President and former NASA astronaut, Dr. Janet Kavandi.

Dr. Marshburn, also a veteran astronaut, will be based out of Sierra Space's facilities located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He is a veteran of three spaceflights, STS-127, Expedition 34/35, and Expedition 66/67 as part of Crew-3. Prior to becoming an astronaut, Marshburn served as a Flight Surgeon, assigned to Space Shuttle Medical Operations and to the joint U.S./Russian Space Program. Dr. Mashburn went on to become the Medical Operations Lead for the International Space Station.

"Today is a landmark for Sierra Space, as we welcome Tom to the team," said Sierra Space President Dr. Janet Kavandi. "With the development of the Sierra Space Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy, we are changing the landscape of the commercial space economy. Tom will play a pivotal role in shaping Sierra Space's bold and ambitious plans. We look forward to seeing all the contributions that his expertise, capabilities and strengths as a physician and veteran leader will provide Sierra Space and the future astronauts we will train."

Marshburn served as pilot of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which launched on November 10, 2021. He also served as a flight engineer on Expedition 66 and commander of Expedition 67 during that mission. Returning on May 6, 2022, the international crew of four spent 177 days in orbit.

"I am thrilled to join Sierra Space in this important role with the Human Spaceflight Center," added Marshburn. "I look forward to creating and developing the rules, regulations and training that will ensure Sierra Space properly equips the future astronaut corps with the tools to succeed as the company expands humanity's reach into space with the launch of the Dream Chaser spaceplane and Orbital Reef space station."

Marshburn received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Davidson College, North Carolina, in 1982; a Masters in Engineering Physics from the University of Virginia in 1984; a Doctorate of Medicine degree from Wake Forest University in 1989; and a Masters in Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in 1997.

Sierra Space is building the world's first commercial space platform, enabling a vibrant new space economy where companies in multiple industries can develop their next breakthrough products and services in the unique environment of space, delivering the discoveries of tomorrow to benefit life on Earth. The company's new Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy will recruit, train and prepare the future astronaut corps required for the developing commercial space economy.