Yu.A. Gagarin TsPK NII picture

Rick Alan MASTRACCHIO

NASA astronaut, USA

DATA AND PLACE OF BIRTH:
Born February 11, 1960 in Waterbury, Connecticut.

EDUCATION:
Graduated from Crosby High School in Watrbury in 1978.
Received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering/computer science from the University of Connecticut in 1982.
Received a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Renssellaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987.
Received a Master of Science degree in physical science from the University of Houston - Clear Lake in 1991.

FAMILY STATUS:
Married to Candace L. Stolfi. They have three children.

AWARDS:
NASA Space Flight Medal.

HOBBIES: baseball, basketball, swimming, woodwork, likes to spend time with his family.

WORK EXPERIENCE:
From 1982 until 1987 worked for Hamilton Standard in Connecticut as an engineer in the system design group. Participated in the development of high-performance strapped-down inertial measurement units and flight control computers.
In 1987 he moved to Houston, Texas to work for Rockwell Shuttle Operations at Johnson Space Center. In 1990 he joined NASA as an engineer in Flight Crew Operations Directorate. His duties included the development and verification of Space Shuttle flight software in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, as well as the development of ascent and abort crew procedures. From 1993 until 1996 he worked as a Shuttle ascent/entry Guidance and Procedures Officer in Mission Control. He was responsible for both permission and real-time Space Shuttle support in the areas of guidance, navigation and targeting during rendezvous. During that time he supported 17 Space Shuttle missions as a flight controller.
In April 1996 he was selected as an Astronaut Candidate and started training in August 1996. Having completed a two-year training and evaluation course, he performed various technical task for the Astronaut Office, working in Computer Support, Space Station Operations and EVA branches, as well as performing the duties of a CAPCOM - operator of voice communications with Shuttle and ISS crews. In 2003 he led a team of specialists who designed improved displays for Space Shuttle cockpit avionics. From 2004 until 2009 he participated in Constellation and Orion projects, led the cockpit design team and was Constellation deputy branch chief.
As a mission specialist, he took part in three spaceflights, STS-106, STS-118 and STS-131; spent nearly 40 days in space and performed 6 EVAs totaling 38 hours 30 minutes.

He made his first space flight on September 8 through 20, 2000 as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-106 mission. The main mission objective was to deliver to ISS cargo and equipment needed to receive the first permanent crew. The mission duration was 11 days 19 hours and 10 minutes.
He made his second space flight on August 8 through 21, 2007 as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-118 mission. The main mission objective was to deliver to ISS the S5 truss segment. During the mission he made three spacewalks totaling 18 hours 13 minutes. The mission duration was 12 days 17 hours and 55 minutes.
He made his third space flight on April 5 through 20, 2010 as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-131 mission. During the mission he made three spacewalks totaling 20 hours 17 minutes. The mission duration was 15 days 2 hours and 47 minutes. Space Shuttle Discovery successfully returned to Earth the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, which contained more than 2239 kg of returned hardware, science results and trash.

Mastracchio was assigned to the crew of ISS-38 as a flight engineer.
On January 28, 2011, a message was posted in the forum of Novosti Kosmonavtiki magazine that he was assigned to the main crew of Expedition ISS-38/39 and designated as commander of Expedition ISS-39.
On February 18, 2011, NASA press release 11-044 confirmed the appointment, but named Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata the commander of ISS-39.

On April 29 - 30 and May 6, 2013 Richard Mastracchio together with Mikhail Tyurin and Koichi Wakata successfully underwent preflight test training on the ISS Russia Segment and the simulator of Soyuz TMA-M space vehicle at Cosmonauts Training Center, including training under the program of four-orbit ISS rendezvous scheme.
On May 8, 2013 in the Star City Interdepartmental Committee meeting was held which recommended him as fit for flight engineer service in backup crew of the 36/37th Expedition (ISS-36, ISS-37) to the International Space Station. On May 27, 2013 the State Commission took the decision on his approval as flight engineer of backup crew for TMV Soyuz TMA-09M.

On May 28, 2013 during launch of TMV Soyuz TMA-09M he was backup flight engineer of the space vehicle.

November 2013.
Based on materials from web sites www.astronaut.ru and www.nasa.gov.