Rick Husband

Rick D. Husband

January 1999 portrait
NASA Astronaut
Nationality American
Status Deceased (STS-107)
Born (1957-07-12)July 12, 1957
Amarillo, Texas, U.S.
Died February 1, 2003(2003-02-01) (aged 45)
Over Texas
Other names
 Rick Douglas Husband
Previous occupation
 Test pilot
Texas Tech, B.S. 1980
Fresno State University, M.S. 1990
Rank Colonel, U.S. Air Force
Time in space
 25d 17h 33m
Selection 1994 NASA Group 15
Missions STS-96, STS-107
Mission insignia
Awards

Rick Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957 – February 1, 2003) was a U.S. Air Force Colonel, pilot, and astronaut who was Commander of Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-107. He and the rest of the crew of STS-107 were killed when Columbia disintegrated during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Husband is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

Early life and education

Husband was born on July 12, 1957, in Amarillo, Texas. He attended Belmar Elementary School, Crockett Junior High School, and he graduated from Amarillo High School in 1975. Husband earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 1980, and a Master of Science degree also in Mechanical Engineering from Fresno State University in 1990. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi.

U.S. Air Force career

After graduating from Texas Tech University, Husband was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and attended pilot training at Vance Air Force Base (AFB) in Oklahoma. He finished his training there in October 1981, and was assigned to F-4 Phantom II training at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. After completion of F-4 training in September 1982, Husband was assigned to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia flying the F-4E. From September to November 1985, he attended F-4 Instructor School at Homestead AFB and was assigned as an F-4E instructor pilot and academic instructor at George AFB, California in December 1985.

In December 1987, Husband was assigned to Edwards Air Force Base in California, where he attended the USAF Test Pilot School. Upon completion of test pilot school, Husband served as a test pilot flying the F-4 and all five models of the F-15 Eagle. In the F-15 Combined Test Force, Husband was the program manager for the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 increased performance engine, and also served as the F-15 Aerial Demonstration Pilot.

In June 1992, Husband was assigned to the Aircraft and Armament Evaluation Establishment at Boscombe Down, England, as an exchange test pilot with the Royal Air Force. At Boscombe Down, Husband was the Tornado GR1 and GR4 Project Pilot and served as a test pilot in the Hawk, Hunter, Buccaneer, Jet Provost, Tucano, and Harvard.

Husband logged over 3,800 hours of flight time in more than 40 different types of aircraft.

NASA career

Husband was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in December 1994. He reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995 to begin a year of training and evaluation. Upon completion of training, Husband was named the Astronaut Office representative for Advanced Projects at Johnson Space Center, working on Space Shuttle Upgrades, the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) and studies to return to the Moon and travel to Mars. He eventually served as Chief of Safety for the Astronaut Office. He flew as Pilot on STS-96 in 1999, and logged 235 hours and 13 minutes in space. Husband was later assigned to command the crew of STS-107 which was launched early in 2003.

Shuttle missions

Awards and decorations

Defense Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous)

 Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Congressional Space Medal of Honor (posthumous)
NASA Space Flight Medal (posthumous)
NASA Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous)

Two NASA Group Achievement Awards[1][2]

Tributes

Quotes

Husband describes how he became a shuttle commander having flown in only one other space flight:

Rick Husband before his first flight:

Husband was also well known for his faith, and in the last-request forms that astronauts fill out before every flight, he left his pastor a personal note:

Personal life

Husband's wife Evelyn details her Christian life with Rick and his struggles to fulfill his lifelong dream to become an astronaut in the 2004 book High Calling: The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband co-written with Donna VanLiere. The Husbands have two children, a daughter Laura and a son Matthew. Evelyn married Bill Thompson in January 2008 and was the keynote speaker for the memorial ceremony at the Astronaut Memorial "Space Mirror" at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, five years after the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Husband bio
  2. ↑ Rick Husband Astronaut bio
  3. ↑ Florida Today, February 1, 2008
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