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Astronaut Robert D. Cabana,
mission commander, leaves little doubt as to his allegiance
for the big annual gridiron rivalry between two major military
academies on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, Pa. |
ROBERT D. CABANA (COLONEL, USMC, RET.)
DIRECTOR, FLIGHT CREW OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
PERSONAL DATA: Born January 23, 1949, in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, where his parents still reside. Married to the former Nancy
Joan Shimer of Cortland, New York. Three children, Jeffrey, Christopher
and Sarah. He enjoys jogging, cycling, softball, sailing, and woodworking.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Washburn High School, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, in 1967; received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics
from the United States Naval Academy in 1971.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Association of Space
Explorers and Associate Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test
Pilots.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of The Daughters of the American
Revolution Award for the top Marine to complete naval flight training
in 1976. Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Awarded
the De La Vaulx medal by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale
in 1994. Personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service
Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Meritorious Service
Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Intelligence Medal
of Achievement, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, two NASA Medals
for Outstanding Leadership, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, and
four NASA Space Flight Medals.
EXPERIENCE: After graduation from the Naval Academy,
Cabana attended the Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, and completed
naval flight officer training in Pensacola, Florida, in 1972. He served
as an A-6 bombardier/navigator with Marine Air Wings in Cherry Point,
North Carolina, and Iwakuni, Japan. He returned to Pensacola in 1975
for pilot training and was designated a naval aviator in September
1976. He was then assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Cherry
Point, North Carolina, where he flew A-6 Intruders. He graduated from
the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981, and served at the Naval
Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, as the A-6 program manager,
X-29 advanced technology demonstrator project officer, and as a test
pilot for flight systems and ordnance separation testing on A-6 and
A-4 series aircraft. Prior to his selection as an astronaut candidate
he was serving as the Assistant Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft
Group Twelve in Iwakuni, Japan. Cabana retired from the U.S. Marine
Corps in August 2000. He has logged over 6,000 hours in 34 different
kinds of aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1985, Cabana
completed initial astronaut training in July 1986, qualifying for
assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flight crews. His initial
assignment was as the Astronaut Office Space Shuttle flight software
coordinator until November 1986. At that time he was assigned as the
Deputy Chief of Aircraft Operations for the Johnson Space Center where
he served for 2-1/2 years. He then served as the lead astronaut in
the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) where the Orbiter's
flight software is tested prior to flight. Cabana has served as a
spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control during Space Shuttle
missions, and as Chief of Astronaut Appearances. Prior to his assignment
to command STS-88, Cabana served three years as the Chief of NASA’s
Astronaut Office. Following STS-88, Cabana served as the Deputy Director
of Flight Crew Operations. After joining the ISS Program in October
1999, Cabana served as Manager for International Operations. From
August 2001 to September 2002, he served as Director, Human Space
Flight Programs, Russia. As NASA’s lead representative to the
Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos) and its contractors,
he provided oversight of all human space flight operations, logistics,
and technical functions, including NASA’s mission operations
in Korolev and crew training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
in Star City. Upon his return to Houston, Cabana was assigned briefly
as the Deputy Manager, International Space Station (ISS) Program.
Cabana currently serves as Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate,
with responsibility for directing the day-to-day activities of the
directorate, including the Astronaut Corps and aircraft operations
at Ellington Field. A veteran of four space flights, Cabana has logged
over 1,010 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-41 (October 6-10,
1990) and STS-53 (December 2-9, 1992), and was mission commander on
STS-65 (July 8-23, 1994) and STS-88 (December 4-15, 1998) the first
International Space Station assembly mission.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE:
STS-41Discovery launched on October 6, 1990 from the Kennedy
Space Center, Florida, and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California,
on October 10, 1990. During 66 orbits of the Earth, the five-man crew
successfully deployed the Ulysses spacecraft, starting the interplanetary
probe on its four-year journey, via Jupiter, to investigate the polar
regions of the Sun; operated the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
instrument (SSBUV) to map atmospheric ozone levels; activated a controlled
"fire in space" experiment (the Solid Surface Combustion
Experiment (SSCE); and conducted numerous other middeck experiments
involving radiation measurements, polymer membrane production, and
microgravity effects on plants.
STS-53 Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
on December 2, 1992. The crew of five deployed the classified Department
of Defense payload DOD-1 and then performed several Military-Man-in-Space
and NASA experiments. After completing 115 orbits of the Earth in
175 hours, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California,
on December 9, 1992.
STS-65 Columbia launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on
July 8, 1994, returning to Florida on July 23, 1994. The crew conducted
the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission utilizing
the long Spacelab module in the payload bay. The flight consisted
of 82 experiments from 15 countries and six space agencies from around
the world. During the record setting 15-day flight, the crew conducted
experiments which focused on materials and life sciences research
in a microgravity environment paving the way for future operations
and cooperation aboard International Space Station. The mission was
accomplished in 236 orbits of the Earth in 353 hours and 55 minutes.
STS-88 Endeavour (December 4-15, 1998) was the first International
Space Station assembly mission. During the 12-day mission, Unity,
the U.S. built node, was mated with Zarya, the Russian built Functional
Cargo Block (FGB). Two crewmembers performed three space walks to
connect umbilicals and attach tools/hardware in the assembly and outfitting
of the station. Additionally, the crew performed the initial activation
and first ingress of the International Space Station preparing it
for future assembly missions and full time occupation. The crew also
performed IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) operations, and deployed two
satellites, Mighty Sat 1 built by the USAF Phillips Laboratory and
SAC-A the first successful launch of an Argentine satellite. The mission
was accomplished in 185 orbits of the Earth in 283 hours and 18 minutes.
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Astronaut Photos and Biographies-
Courtesy of NASA
Lucky Bag Photos- Courtesy of USNA Archives
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