Jim Wetherbee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | James Donald Wetherbee (1952-11-27)November 27, 1952 (age 72) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Other names | Wxb |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BS) |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Captain,USN |
Time in space | 66d 10h 23m |
| Selection | NASA Group 10 (1984) |
| Missions | STS-32 STS-52 STS-63 STS-86 STS-102 STS-113 |
Mission insignia |       |
| Retirement | January 3, 2005 |
James Donald "Wxb" Wetherbee (born November 27, 1952)[1] (Capt,USN, Ret.), is a retiredUnited States Navy officer andaviator,test pilot,aerospace engineer, andNASAastronaut. He is a veteran of sixSpace Shuttle missions and is the only American to have commanded five spaceflight missions.[1]
Wetherbee was born on November 27, 1952, inFlushing, New York, and raised inHuntington Station, New York.[2] He enjoystennis,skiing,softball,running, andmusic. He graduated fromHoly Family Diocesan High School inSouth Huntington, New York, in 1970. He earned aBachelor of Science degree inAerospace Engineering from theUniversity of Notre Dame in 1974.
Following his graduation fromNotre Dame, he received his commission in theUnited States Navy, in 1975. He was designated aNaval Aviator in December 1976. After training in theA-7E, he was assigned toAttack Squadron 72 (VA-72) from August 1977 to November 1980, aboard theaircraft carrier,USS John F. Kennedy, and logged 125 night carrier landings.[1]
After attending theU.S. Naval Test Pilot School inPatuxent River,Maryland, in 1981, he was assigned to the Systems Engineering Test Directorate. He was a project officer andtest pilot for the weapons delivery system and avionics integration for theF/A-18 aircraft. Subsequently, assigned toStrike Fighter Squadron 132 (VFA-132), he flew operationally in the F/A-18 from January 1984, until his selection for the astronaut candidate program.[1]
He has logged over 7,000 hours[3]: 141 flying time in 20 different types of aircraft, including 345 carrier landings.[1][3]: 54
Wetherbee was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1984, and became an astronaut in June 1985. He piloted his first mission[4]STS-32 in 1990 and commanded missionsSTS-52 (1992),STS-63 (1995),[5]STS-86 (1997),[5]STS-102 (2001), andSTS-113 (2002). The final three missions were dockings withMir and theInternational Space Station; STS-113 was the lastSpace Shuttle mission before theColumbia disaster.[6]
Wetherbee served as deputy director of theJohnson Space Center (August 1995 to April 2000), Director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate (April 2000 – 2002), and Technical Assistant to the Director of JSC's Safety & Mission Assurance Directorate (April 2003 to June 2004).[1]
STS-32:Columbia (January 9–20, 1990) included the successful deployment of theSyncom IV-F5 satellite, and retrieval of the 21,400-poundLong Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) using theRemote Manipulator System (RMS). The crew also operated a variety of middeck experiments and conducted numerous medical test objectives, including in-flight aerobic exercise and muscle performance to evaluate human adaptation to extended duration missions. Mission duration was 173orbits in 261 hours and 01 minute.[7]
STS-52:Columbia (October 22 to November 1, 1992) successfully deployed theLaser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS), a joint Italian-American project. The crew also operated the first U.S. Microgravity Payload (USMP) with French and American experiments, and successfully completed the initial flight tests of the Canadian-built Space Vision System (SVS). Mission duration was 236 hours and 56 minutes.[8]
STS-63:Discovery (February 2–11, 1995) was the first joint flight of the new Russian-American Space Program. Mission highlights included therendezvous with the Russian Space Station,Mir, operation ofSpacehab, and the deployment and retrieval of Spartan 204. The mission was accomplished in 129 orbits in 198 hours and 29 minutes.[9]
STS-86:Atlantis (September 25 to October 6, 1997) was the seventh mission to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. Highlights included the delivery of a Mir attitude control computer, the exchange of U.S. crew membersMike Foale andDavid Wolf, aspacewalk byScott Parazynski andVladimir Titov to retrieve four experiments first deployed on Mir during theSTS-76 docking mission, the transfer to Mir of 10,400 pounds of science and logistics, and the return of experiment hardware and results to Earth. Mission duration was 169 orbits in 259 hours and 21 minutes.[10]: 123–124
STS-102:Discovery (March 8–21, 2001) was the eighth Space Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. The mission accomplishments included the delivery of theExpedition 2 crew and the contents of theLeonardoMulti-Purpose Logistics Module, the completion of two successful spacewalks, the return toEarth of theExpedition 1 crew, as well as the return of Leonardo, the reusable cargo carrier built by theItalian Space Agency. Mission duration was 307 hours and 49 minutes.[10]: 152–153
STS-113:Endeavour (November 23 to December 7, 2002) was the sixteenth Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. The launch occurred on November 23, 2002, to deliver theP1 Truss segment, which provides structural support for the Space Station radiators.Endeavour also delivered a newExpedition 6 crew to the Station, returning to Earth on December 7, 2002, with theExpedition 5 crew ending their 6-month stay inspace. The total mission duration was 13 days, 18 hours and 47 minutes.[10]: 172–174
Wetherbee retired from the U.S. Navy in 2003 and left NASA in 2005 to become a consultant. He joined BP in 2006, as a safety auditor, and retired in 2014. He is currently working as adrummer and as aconsultant for leaders in hazardous environments.[11]
Wetherbee is married to Robin DeVore Platt ofJacksonville, Florida,[1] and has two daughters.[12] He currently resides in Oregon.[11]
Lifetime Member of theSociety of Experimental Test Pilots;[13] Honorary Member, Musicians' Union, Local 47,American Federation of Musicians,Los Angeles,California.
NASA Astronaut Group 9 ← NASA Astronaut Group 10 →NASA Astronaut Group 11 | |||||||
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