Jeffrey Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in 2009 | |
| Born | Jeffrey Nels Williams (1958-01-18)January 18, 1958 (age 67) Superior, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel,USA |
Time in space | 534d 2h 48m |
| Selection | NASA Group 16 (1996) |
TotalEVAs | 5 |
Total EVA time | 31h 55m |
| Missions | STS-101 Soyuz TMA-8 (Expedition 13) Soyuz TMA-16 (Expedition 21/22) Soyuz TMA-20M (Expedition 47/48) |
Mission insignia |       |
Jeffrey Nels Williams (born January 18, 1958) is a retiredUnited States Army officer and aNASAastronaut. He is a veteran of fourspace flights and formerly held the American record for most days spent in space, which was surpassed in April 2017 by his colleaguePeggy Whitson.[1]
Williams was born inSuperior, Wisconsin, and raised inWinter, Wisconsin. During his childhood, Williams reached the rank of Star Scout, the third-highest in theBoy Scouts of America.[2][3] During theJamboree on the Air in October 2009 he communicated with Boy Scouts in theNational Scouting Museum inTexas from the International Space Station.[3] Williams graduated from Winter High School in Winter, Wisconsin, in 1976. He earned a degree in applied science and engineering from theU.S. Military Academy in 1980, receiving his commission in theUnited States Army.
Williams served with the Army atJohnson Space Center from 1987 to 1992 before training as atest pilot. In 1996, he was selected byNASA as an astronaut candidate. In July 2002, Williams served as the commander of theNEEMO 3 mission aboard theAquariusunderwater laboratory, living and working underwater for six days.[4][5]
In 2000, Williams launched to space for the first time onSTS-101. STS-101 delivered supplies to theInternational Space Station, hauled up using a Spacehab double module and an Integrated Cargo Carrier pallet. Williams and fellow crew memberJames Voss performed a spacewalk and then reboosted the station from 230 miles (370 km) to 250 miles (400 km). They returned to Earth after over 9 days on orbit.
Williams also flew aboard theSoyuz TMA-8 mission, replacingExpedition 12 astronautWilliam S. McArthur. He was previously inorbit as the Expedition 13 flight engineer and science officer aboard the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on September 28, 2006.[6]
During his six-month stint at theInternational Space Station in 2006, Williams orbited the Earth more than 2,800 times. DuringExpedition 13, he worked on hundreds of experiments,walked in space twice, and captured more photographs of the Earth than any other astronaut in history. Many of his photos are found in his bookThe Work of His Hands: A View of God's Creation from Space, where he shares personal narrative and vivid photos of the Earth.
On August 24, 2006, a taped message made by him to be played at an official NASA press conference was accidentally played over the air-to-ground loop,[7] the tape revealing that theCrew Exploration Vehicle under development to replace theSpace Shuttle after 2010 would be namedOrion after thefamed wintertime constellation.
Williams also served as a flight engineer forExpedition 21 and assumed command ofExpedition 22 in November 2009[8] having arrived on the International Space Station with his crew mates viaSoyuz TMA-16 which launched on September 30, 2009.[9] Williams with Expedition 22 Flight EngineerMaksim Surayev landed their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft on the steppes ofKazakhstan on March 18, 2010, wrapping up a 167-day stay aboard the Space Station.
On October 21, 2009, Williams and his Expedition 21 crewmate,Nicole Stott, participated in the firstNASA Tweetup from the station with members of the public gathered atNASA Headquarters inWashington, D.C.[10] This involved the firstliveTwitter connection for the astronauts.[11] Previously, astronauts on board the Space Shuttle or ISS have sent the messages they desire to send as tweets down toMission Control which then posted the message via theInternet to Twitter.[12]
Williams returned to space station in 2016[13] as part ofExpedition 47/48.[14] Upon the departure ofSoyuz TMA-19M he became commander of Expedition 48.[15] Williams was returned to Earth safely on 6 September 2016.
On Expedition 47, Williams surpassedScott Kelly's record of 520 cumulative days in space which was set when he returned from space on March 1, 2016; Williams beat this record with 534 cumulative days.[16]
Williams is a committed Christian.[17] Following his return from the Expedition 21 mission, he wrote the bookThe Work of His Hands: A View Of God's Creation From Space about his experience in space. The book reflects in Williams words the "vivid lessons about the meticulous goodness of divine providence, God's care for His creation, and His wisdom in ordering the universe".[18]He is married to Anne-Marie Williams.[19]
  | Defense Superior Service Medal withoak leaf cluster |
 | Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster |
 | Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
 | Army Commendation Medal |
 | National Defense Service Medal with award star |
 | Army Service Ribbon |
 | NASA Distinguished Service Medal |
 | NASA Exceptional Service Medal |
 | NASA Space Flight Medal with two oak leaf clusters |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.
| Preceded by | ISS Commander (Expedition 22) 30 November 2009 to 17 March 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | ISS Commander (Expedition 48) 18 June to 6 September 2016 | Succeeded by |
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