National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationLyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058

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STEPHEN K. ROBINSON (PH.D.)
NASA ASTRONAUT

PERSONAL DATA:; Born October 26, 1955, in Sacramento, California.; Enjoys flying, antique aircraft, canoeing, hiking, drawing, painting, and stereo photography.; Plays lead guitar in Max Q, a rock-n-roll band; also plays bass, banjo, mandolin, pedal-steel guitar, and cello.

EDUCATION:

• 1973: Campolindo High School, Moraga, California
• 1978: University of California at Davis: dual Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering
• 1985: Stanford University: Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering
• 1990: Stanford University: Doctorate in mechanical engineering, with a minor in aeronautics and astronautics

ORGANIZATIONS: Experimental Aircraft Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: NASA Ames Honor Award for Scientist (1989); American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Outstanding Technical Paper Award for Applied Aerodynamics (co-author) (1992); NASA/Space Club G.M. Low Memorial Engineering Fellowship (1993); NASA Spaceflight Medal (1997, 1998, 2005, 2010); NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2000); UC Davis Medal (2005).

EXPERIENCE: Robinson started work for NASA in 1975 as a student co-op at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California.; After working as a graphic artist, surveyor, and radio DJ, he joined NASA Ames in 1979 as a research scientist in the fields of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, experimental instrumentation, and computational scientific visualization.; While at Ames, Robinson earned masters and doctorate degrees from Stanford University, with research emphasis in turbulence physics, and additional research in human eye dynamics.; Robinson also founded and operated an engineering and graphics software firm in Mountain View, CA from 1982-1986.; In 1990, Robinson was selected as Chief of the Experimental Flow Physics Branch at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, where he led a group of 35 engineers and scientists engaged in aerodynamics and fluid physics research.; In 1993, Robinson was awarded the NASA/Space Club Low Memorial Engineering Fellowship, and was assigned for 15 months to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as Visiting Engineer in the Man Vehicle Laboratory (MVL).; As an MVL team-member, he conducted neurovestibular research on astronauts on the Spacelab Life Sciences 2 Shuttle mission (STS-58).; Other MIT research included EVA dynamics for satellite capture and space construction.; While in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Robinson was also a visiting scientist at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, doing research on environmental modeling for flight simulation, cockpit human factors for GPS-guided instrument approach procedures, and moving-map displays.; Robinson returned to NASA Langley in September 1994, where he accepted a dual assignment as research scientist in the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Branch, and as leader of the Aerodynamics and Acoustics element of NASA’s General Aviation Technology program.; Robinson has been flying since age 14, and has logged over 3500 hours in flight vehicles ranging from antique taildraggers to NASA space shuttles.

ASTRONAUT EXPERIENCE: Dr. Robinson was selected as an astronaut in December 1994, and reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995.; Since then, he has held various technical assignments within the Astronaut Office including: testing space shuttle control software, developing on-board computer and flight crew equipment, helping to develop the Space Station robot arm, and leading an astronaut team to specify window requirements for the new Orion crew capsule.; He has also served as Spacecraft Communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control for 13 shuttle missions, functioning as the voice link between space shuttle crews and Mission Control.; Most recently, Robinson served for two years as Chief of Safety for the Astronaut Office.

Stephen Robinson has flown on four Space Shuttle missions, and has also served as a back-up crewmember for the fourth crew of the International Space Station:

Shuttle Mission STS-85 Discovery (August 7 to 19, 1997) was a 12-day mission during which the crew deployed and retrieved the CRISTA-SPAS satellite, operated the Japanese Manipulator Flight Demonstration (MFD) robotic arm, studied changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and tested technology destined for use on the future International Space Station.; Robinson’s responsibilities on STS-85 included flying both the shuttle robot arm and the experimental Japanese robot arm, and serving as a contingency EVA crewmember.; The mission was accomplished in 189 Earth orbits, traveling 4.7 million miles in 284 hours and 27 minutes.

Shuttle Mission STS-95 Discovery (October 29 to November 7, 1998) was a 9-day science mission during which the crew supported over 80 payloads, including deployment of the Spartan solar-observing spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, and investigations on space flight and the aging process with crew member John Glenn.; As Payload Commander, Robinson was responsible for the accomplishment of all scientific objectives by the crew.; As prime operator of the shuttle’s robot arm, Robinson deployed and retrieved the Spartan satellite.; The mission was accomplished in 134 Earth orbits, traveling 3.6 million miles in 213 hours and 44 minutes.

ISS Expedition 4 Backup (July 1999 to December 2001) Robinson was assigned as backup crew member for the Space Station Expedition 4 crew, which included cosmonaut training and certification in Star City, Russia.

Shuttle Mission STS-114 Discovery (July 26 to August 9, 2005) was the “Return to Flight” mission – the first shuttle flight in the 2.5 years after the loss of Columbia.; The objective of the mission was to re-supply the International Space Station and to evaluate new procedures for flight safety and Shuttle inspection and repair techniques.; Robinson served as Flight Engineer and also performed 3 spacewalks totaling 20 hours and 5 minutes of EVA time, including an unplanned and unprecedented repair of Discovery’s heat-shield.; After a 2-week, 5.8 million mile journey in space, Discovery and its crew returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California.; Mission duration was 333 hours, 32 minutes, 48 seconds, in 219 orbits.

Shuttle Mission STS-130 Endeavour (February 8-21, 2010) launched at night, carrying aloft the International Space Station’s final permanent modules: Tranquility (Node 3) and the seven-windowed Cupola viewing-station.; Tranquility is now the life-support hub of the ISS, containing exercise, water recycling, and environmental control systems.; Robinson served as Flight Engineer, as EVA operations officer to direct the three spacewalks from inside Endeavour, and as chief mechanic for outfitting the new Node 3.; During the 2-week mission, Endeavour and her crew travelled over 5.7 million miles and completed 217 orbits of the Earth, touching down at night at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Summary: Flying on STS-85 in 1997, STS-95 in 1998, STS-114 in 2005, and STS-130 in 2010, Dr. Robinson has logged over 1156 hours and 19.8 million miles in space, including over 20 EVA hours.