Episode 39 - Flying the Space Shuttle

Behind the Wings

In 1996, astronaut Tom Henricks became the first Space Shuttle pilot/commander to log 1,000 hours in space.

Tom tells us about his time as an F-4 pilot and F-16 test pilot, astronaut training, flying four Space Shuttle missions including two as a commander, and the challenges of flying at Mach 25. This one is going to be cool!

Key Takeaways:

• Tom's love of aviation started when he bought an airplane ride near his family's farm.
• Tom graduated number one in his weapons and test pilot school.
• After applying four times, Tom was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1985.
• Tom flew to space four times on missions STS-44, 55, 70, and 78. They ran experiments, deployed satellites, and did some early testing that later would help build the International Space Station.
• The Space Shuttle reenters the atmosphere at Mach 25, making it very complicated to land successfully. Tom landed the Shuttle on his last two missions.
• At the time, STS-78 was the longest space mission to date at 405 hours. Later that same year, STS-80 broke its record by 19 hours.
• Tom is excited about the future of Artemis and hopes someday he may even step on the Moon.

Resources:

• Tom Henricks NASA Bio
• Tom Henricks Wiki Page