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Swanson, Steven Ray 'Swanny'

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Swanson Credit: www.spacefacts.de

Status: Inactive; active 1998-2015. Born: 1960-12-03. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 195.87 days. Birth Place: Syracuse, New Jersey.

Grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.. Educated Colorado; Florida Atlantic; Texas A&M.

Official NASA Biography as of June 2016:Steven R. Swanson (PH.D.)
NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born in Syracuse, New York, but considers Steamboat Springs, Colorado to be his hometown. Married to the former Mary Drake Young of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They have three children. He enjoys mountain biking, basketball, skiing, weight lifting, trail running, woodworking and spending time with his family. His parents, Stanley and June Swanson, reside in Eagle, Idaho. Her parents, Chan and Martha Young, reside in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado; received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Colorado, and a Master of Applied Science in Computer Systems from Florida Atlantic University, and a Doctorate in Computer Science from Texas A&M University.

SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the NASA's Johnson Space Center Certificate of Accommodation, Flight Simulation Engineering Award, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

EXPERIENCE: Prior to coming to NASA, Swanson worked for GTE in Phoenix, Arizona as a software engineer developing real-time software of telephone system multiplexer/demultiplexers.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Swanson joined NASA as a systems engineer and a flight engineer in the Aircraft Operations Division of NASA's Johnson Space Center working on the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). STA is a complex airborne shuttle simulator, which models the flight characteristics of the space shuttle from 35,000 ft. to main gear touchdown. During his time with the STA, Swanson worked to improvethe STA's navigation and control systems and incorporate a real-time wind determination algorithm.

In May of 1998, Swanson was selected as mission specialist by NASA and started training in August of 1998. After completing Astronaut Candidate training, which included intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, he was assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. He has also worked in the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch and as a CAPCOM (spacecraft communicator) for International Space Station and shuttle missions. Swanson completed advance training in spacewalk, shuttle and space station robotic arm operations, and shuttle rendezvous procedures. During his NASA career, Swanson has completed four spacewalks totaling 26 hours, 22 minutes and accumulated 195 days, 15 hours, 41 minutes in space.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-117 Atlantis (June 8-22, 2007) was the 118th shuttle mission and the 21st mission to visit the International Space Station, delivering the second starboard truss segment, the third set of United States solar arrays, batteries and associated equipment. This successful construction and repair mission involved four spacewalks by two teams of astronauts. Swanson accumulated 13 hours and 45 minutes of extra vehicular activity during two spacewalks. The mission also delivered and returned with an expedition crew member. STS-117 landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, having traveled 5.8 million miles in 14 days.

STS-119 Discovery (March 15-28, 2009) was the 125th shuttle mission and the 28th mission to visit the space station, delivering the final starboard truss segment, S6. As part of S6, the fourth and final set of U.S. solar arrays, batteries and associated equipment were also delivered, installed and deployed. The successful construction mission consisted of three spacewalks.. Swanson conducted two of the spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 37 minutes. STS-119 landed at the NASA's Kennedy Space Center after traveling 5.3 million miles in 13 days.

On March 25, 2014, Swanson and fellow crewmates Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev launched aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket (TMA-12M) from Baikonur, Kazakhstan as members of Expedition 39. The crew docked with the International Space Station on March 27. During his six-month tour of duty aboard the orbiting laboratory, Swanson performed various Earth remote sensing and biology, bone and muscle physiology studies. In May 2014, Swanson assumed command of the station with the departure of Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata. Expedition 40 concluded on September 10 with a safe landing in central Kazakhstan, marking an end to 169 days in space that covered almost 72 million miles in orbit.

SEPTEMBER 2014

NAME: Steven R. Swanson

NASA Astronaut Candidate (Mission Specialist)

PERSONAL DATA:

Born December 3, 1960 in Syracuse, New York, but considers Steamboat Springs, Colorado to be his hometown. Married to the former Mary Drake Young of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They have three children. He enjoys mountain biking, basketball, skiing, weight lifting, running, wood working and spending time with his family. His parents, Stanley and June Swanson, reside in Boise, Idaho. Her parents, Chan and Martha Young, reside in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

EDUCATION:

Graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 1979; received a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics from the University of Colorado in 1983, and a master of applied science in computer systems from Florida Atlantic University in 1986, and a doctorate in computer science from Texas A&M University in 1998.

SPECIAL HONORS:

Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the JSC Certificate of Accommodation, Flight Simulation Engineering Award, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

EXPERIENCE:

Prior to coming to NASA, Steve worked for GTE in Phoenix, Arizona as a software engineer working on the real-time software of telephone system multiplexer/demultiplexers.

NASA EXPERIENCE:

In 1987, Steve joined NASA as a systems engineer in the Aircraft Operations Division of JSC working on the Shuttle Training Aircraft. The Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) is a complex airborne shuttle simulator, which models the flight characteristics of the Shuttle from 35,000 ft. to main gear touchdown. In 1989, Steve also became a flight simulation engineer on the STA. During his time with the STA, Steve worked on the improvement of the STA's navigation and control systems and the incorporation of a real-time wind determination algorithm. In May of 1998, Steve was selected as an Astronaut Candidate and started training in August of 1998. Astronaut Candidate Training includes orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques. Following a period of training and evaluation, Steve will receive technical assignments within the Astronaut Office before being assigned to a space flight.

• Birth of Steven Ray 'Swanny' Swanson - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Swanson. American computer scientist mission specialist astronaut 1998-2015. 3 spaceflights, 195.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-117 (2007), STS-119, Soyuz TMA-12M..

• NASA Astronaut Training Group 17 selected. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Caldwell, Chamitoff, Creamer, Ferguson, Foreman, Fossum, Ham, Hilliard, Johnson, Gregory C, Johnson, Gregory H, Love, Melvin, Morgan, Nespoli, Oefelein, Olivas, Patrick, Poindexter, Pontes, Reisman, Swanson, Vittori.

  The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights.. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.

  Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. Of 25 Americans, eight pilots and 17 mission specialists.

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #01 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. The Space Shuttle Atlantis rocketed into a Florida twilight sky on time at 6:38 p.m. CDT today, kicking off the first of four shuttle missions scheduled this year.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 - . Call Sign: Atlantis. Crew: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson. Return Crew: Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Payload: Atlantis F28 / S3, S4. Mass: 122,685 kg (270,474 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Agency: NASA. Manufacturer: Boeing. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Atlantis. Duration: 13.84 days. Decay Date: 2007-06-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 31600 . COSPAR: 2007-024A. Apogee: 341 km (211 mi). Perigee: 330 km (200 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 91.20 min.

  The shuttle delivered the S3 and S4 truss segments to the starboard side of the International Space Station. The crew made three spacewalks to install these truss segments, conduct other station reconfiguration and installation work, deploy the solar arrays and prepare them for operation. A fourth spacewalk was added to repair loose re-entry insulation on the shuttle and get-ahead installation work on the outside of the station. The shuttle delivered NASA long-term ISS crew member Clayton Anderson to the station; and returned Suni Williams to earth. At the conclusion of this mission the station finally achieved its full-power, dual-boom configuration first conceived for Space Station Freedom in the 1980's.

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #02 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. The astronauts on board Space Shuttle Atlantis got their first on-orbit wakeup call this morning on their way to a Sunday afternoon rendezvous to deliver a new crewmember and a new set of solar arrays to the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #03 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. During its first full day in orbit, the STS-117 crew inspected Space Shuttle Atlantis' heat shield and prepared for tomorrow's docking with the International Space Station scheduled for 2:38 p.m. CDT.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #06 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Swanson, Williams. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. A spacewalk to install and activate a new set of solar array wings highlights the first full day of docked operations of space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #08 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. The International Space Station's new solar array wings are spreading today while the 10 astronauts and cosmonauts get ready for the second spacewalk during this flight of space shuttle Atlantis.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #09 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. The International Space Station today spread its wings again with the activation of a new pair of solar arrays that will generate enough power to supply about eight homes.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #11 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Olivas, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Just a few launch restraint bolts stand between the International Space Station's new solar arrays and rotation, following a seven hour and 16 minute spacewalk by Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Steve Swanson.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #10 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. A pair of spacewalking astronauts is getting ready for a 6½-hour excursion this afternoon to help retract an old solar array wing and get two new ones ready to go to work.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #12 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Solar array retraction and spacewalk preparation are the focus of the crews on board space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station today.. Additional Details: here....

• EVA STS-117-2 - . Crew: Forrester, Swanson. EVA Duration: 0.30 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15.

  The crew removed all of the launch locks on the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint in place. The spacewalkers had planned to remove the joint's launch restraints as well, but problems with the wiring of a drive-lock assembly installed on the previous spacewalk led to that task being deferred to the next EVA.

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #14 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Olivas, Reilly, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Astronauts on space shuttle Atlantis are only hours from the week's third spacewalk out of the International Space Station, a 6½-hour excursion to repair a thermal blanket on the orbiter and assist in folding up a solar array on the station.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #15 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Kotov, Olivas, Reilly, Swanson, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15.

  The situation aboard space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station improved greatly today following repair of a protruding thermal blanket, restoring power to problematic Russian navigation computers, and completing retraction of a finicky solar array. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #17 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. In a continuing improvement of the onboard Russian computer system, all six channels are now operating in the two Russian command-and-control and the guidance-and-navigation computers that stopped operating three days ago.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #16 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Olivas, Swanson, Williams. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. A new spaceflight endurance record was set this morning as 10 astronauts and cosmonauts slept on the docked space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #18 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. For the fourth time in less than a week, the astronauts on Space Shuttle Atlantis are about to venture outside their spacecraft to press ahead with assembly of the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #19 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Swanson, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Astronauts Patrick Forrester and Steve Swanson completed the fourth and final spacewalk of Atlantis' mission at 5:54 p.m. CDT, wrapping up all the tasks planned for the mission and finishing some jobs that will reduce the workload for future spacewalkers.. Additional Details: here....

• EVA STS-117-4 - . Crew: Forrester, Swanson. EVA Duration: 0.26 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Forrester, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15.

  The crew moved a video camera from the Quest module to the S3 truss. They verified the connections on the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint and removed its launch restraints. They then removed hardware along the S3 truss, clearing it for use by the tracked Mobile Base System. They then installed a computer network cable on the Unity node; opened the hydrogen vent valve on the Destiny laboratory installed on the previous EVA; and tethered two orbital debris shield panels on the station's service module.

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #22 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Forrester, Kotov, Reilly, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. The astronauts on space shuttle Atlantis woke up this morning with the hatch to the International Space Station closed and only hours left before undocking for the two-day trip back to Earth.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #25 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Archambault, Olivas, Sturckow, Swanson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts spent – weather permitting – their last full day on orbit today getting their ship ready to return home tomorrow with two landing opportunities available at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 12:55 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #24 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Clayton, Archambault, Kotov, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams, Yurchikhin. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Seven astronauts on space shuttle Atlantis are preparing themselves and their orbiter for a planned Thursday landing to wrap up the year's first International Space Station assembly mission.. Additional Details: here....

• STS-117 MCC Status Report #30 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Archambault, Forrester, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10, STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15. Space shuttle Atlantis returned home safely to the Mojave Desert following a 14-day, 5.8-million-mile mission to the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

• Landing of STS-117 - . Return Crew: Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Archambault, Forrester, Olivas, Reilly, Sturckow, Swanson, Williams. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-117, STS-117 ISS EO-15.

• STS-119 - . Call Sign: Discovery. Crew: Acaba, Antonelli, Archambault, Arnold, Ricky, Phillips, Swanson. Payload: Discovery F35 /. Mass: 120,860 kg (266,450 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-119. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Discovery. Duration: 12.81 days. Decay Date: 2009-03-28 . USAF Sat Cat: 34541 . COSPAR: 2009-012A. Apogee: 353 km (219 mi). Perigee: 335 km (208 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 91.40 min. Crew: Archambault, Antonelli, Phillips, Swanson, Acaba, Arnold. ISS assembly mission. Delivered to the ISS and installed the fourth starboard truss segment (ITS S6) and fourth set of solar arrays and batteries..

• EVA STS-119-1 - . Crew: Arnold, Ricky, Swanson. EVA Duration: 0.25 days. Nation: USA. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-119.

  The crew exited from the Quest module at 17:12 GMT to mate the S6 truss to the end of the S5 truss on the station. S6, maneuvered by the station's robot arm, made contact with S5 at 18:17 GMT and was bolted in place by the astronauts at 19:06 GMT. The crew spent several hours in removing covers and making connection betwen the station and the S6 before returning to the Quest airlock at 23:20 GMT.

• EVA STS-119-2 - . Crew: Acaba, Swanson. EVA Duration: 0.27 days. Nation: USA. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-119. The crew exited the Quest airlock at 16:50 GMT but were unable to deploy the UCCAS-1 payload attachment platform from the P3 truss, returning to the airlock at 23:16..

• Soyuz TMA-10M - . Call Sign: Pulsar. Crew: Hopkins, Kotov, Ryazansky. Backup Crew: Artemyev, Skvortsov, Swanson. Payload: Soyuz TMA s/n 710. Mass: 7,200 kg (15,800 lb). Nation: Russia. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Soyuz TMA-10M. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz TMA. Duration: 166.27 days. Decay Date: 2014-03-11 . USAF Sat Cat: 39263 . COSPAR: 2013-054A. Apogee: 415 km (257 mi). Perigee: 411 km (255 mi). Inclination: 51.65 deg. Period: 92.82 min. Docked with the Poisk module of the ISS 5 hours 46 minutes after launch. Undocked from the Poisk module of the ISS at 00:02 GMT on 11 March, landing in Kazakhstan at 03:24 GMT..

• Soyuz TMA-12M - . Call Sign: Cliff. Crew: Artemyev, Skvortsov, Swanson. Backup Crew: Samokutyayev, Serova, Wilmore. Payload: Soyuz TMA s/n 712. Mass: 7,200 kg (15,800 lb). Nation: Russia. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Soyuz TMA-12M. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz TMA. Duration: 169.21 days. Decay Date: 2014-09-11 . USAF Sat Cat: 39622 . COSPAR: 2014-013A. Apogee: 417 km (259 mi). Perigee: 412 km (256 mi). Inclination: 51.65 deg. Period: 92.85 min.

  The third planned rendezvous burn at 23:48 GMT was cancelled due to a software problem, leaving the spacecraft in a 297 x 333 km x 51.7 deg orbit. Rendezvous with the ISS was rescheduled to 27 March. It maneuvered to a 414 x 425 km orbit on 26 March. Docking with the ISS at the Poisk module was at 23:53 GMT on 27 March. On September 10 at 23:01 GMT Skvortsov, Artemev and Swanson undocked from the Poisk module in Soyuz TMA-12M. The deorbit burn at 01:30 GMT September 11 was followed by module separation at 01:58, atmosphere entry at 02:01, and landing in Kazakhstan at 02:23.