Astronauts End Space Flight Careers for Earth-bound Pursuits
Several astronauts are concluding their successful spaceflight careers for
new pursuits on Earth. The group of space travelers takes a wealth of space
station and shuttle experience into new fields of pursuit.
Thomas D. Jones (Ph.D.), Peter J.K. “Jeff” Wisoff (Ph.D.), Tamara E. “Tammy”
Jernigan (Ph.D.), Jean-Loup Chrétien (Brigadier-Gen., French Air Force), and
Mark C. Lee (Col., USAF, Ret.) recently left the astronaut corps.
“I wish these astronauts all the best as they move into new pursuits,” said
director of Flight Crew Operations, Steve Hawley. “We will miss their
extensive experience. Each one has made important contributions to our
successful human space flight programs during recent years.”
Jones joined NASA in 1990 and, following initial training, he flew on STS-59
in 1994, STS-68 in late 1994, STS-80 in 1996, and STS-98 in 2001. During his
last mission he conducted three spacewalks totaling over 19 hours to
complete installation of the U.S. laboratory “Destiny” at the International
Space Station. Jones is pursuing a career as a writer and consultant.
Wisoff was selected to become an astronaut by NASA in 1990. He served on
four missions, STS-57 in 1993, STS-68 in 1994, STS-81 to Mir in 1997, and
STS-92 in 2000. Wisoff helped assemble the U.S. station with two spacewalks
during STS-92 to attach and test ISS exterior equipment. Wisoff joins the
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in northern California.
Jernigan came to NASA in 1985 and flew on five shuttle missions beginning
with STS-40 in 1991. Her flights included STS-52 in 1992, STS-67 in 1995,
and STS-80 in 1996. Jernigan’s last flight, STS-96 in 1999, performed the
first docking with the International Space Station where she performed a
spacewalk of nearly eight hours to attach equipment to the ISS exterior. She
will work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in northern
California.
Chrétien, a long-time space traveler with a unique career, flew on STS-86 in
1997 to the Mir, which he’d visited nearly 10 years earlier in 1988 as a
crew member on a 24-day Russian mission. Chretien’s first space mission was
Soyuz T-6 in 1982 when he was the first Western non-American to go into
space.
Lee was selected as an astronaut in 1984 and flew four missions, STS-30 in
1989, STS-47 in 1992, STS-64 in 1994, and STS-82 in 1997. During his last
mission, he conducted three space walks totaling over 19 hours to service
the Hubble Space Telescope.
For complete biographical information on these astronauts, or any other
astronaut, see the NASA internet biography home page at
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/.
