Matthew Dominick
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Short description|American test pilot and astronaut}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name = Matthew Dominick
|image = Matthew Dominick, NASA portrait, 2017 (cropped) 2.jpg
|caption = NASA portrait, 2017
|birth_name = Matthew Stuart Dominick
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|12|07}}
|birth_place = Wheat Ridge, Colorado, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|education = University of San Diego (BS)
Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
|type = NASA astronaut
|time = 235 days, 3 hours and 35 minutes
|selection = NASA Group 22 (2017)
|evas =
|eva_time =
|missions = SpaceX Crew-8 (Expedition 70/71/72)
|insignia = 45px 45px 52px 52px
}}
Matthew Stuart Dominick (born December 7, 1981) is an American test pilot and astronaut. As a pilot in the U.S. Navy, Dominick has more than 1,600 hours of flight time in 28 aircraft, 400 carrier-arrested landings, 61 combat missions, and almost 200 flight test carrier landings. He was recently on the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew-8 mission,{{Cite web |title=NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/event/nasas-spacex-crew-8-launch/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |language=en-US}} which landed on October 25, 2024.{{cite web |title=Back on Earth: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Mission Splashes Down Off Florida |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/back-on-earth-nasas-spacex-crew-8-mission-splashes-down-off-florida/ |access-date=26 October 2024}}
Early life and education
Dominick was born on December 7, 1981, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. After attending D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School in Littleton, Colorado, he graduated from the University of San Diego in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering with minors in physics and mathematics. As a student, he was a member of the Navy ROTC and the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/matthew-dominick/biography|title=Astronaut Candidate Matthew Dominick|last=Garcia|first=Mark|date=February 7, 2018|work=NASA|access-date=September 17, 2018|language=en}}{{cite web| title = Matthew Stuart Dominick| work = Biographies of U.S. Astronauts| publisher = Spacefacts| date = April 18, 2018| url = http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/dominick_matthew.htm| accessdate = September 17, 2018 }}
Military career
After graduating from university, Dominick was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. He attended Primary Flight Training at NAS Pensacola and was designated a Naval Aviator in 2007. He completed F/A-18 Super Hornet training with VFA-106 at NAS Oceana, before being assigned to VFA-143. With VFA-143, Dominick completed two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom before being selected to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) / Naval Postgraduate School co-operative program, allowing him to earn a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.
Following graduation from USNTPS, Dominick was designated a test pilot and was assigned to VX-23, based out of NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. There, he served as a developmental flight test project officer on numerous programs, including MAGIC CARPET, Joint Precision Approach & Landing Systems and Infrared Search and Track Pod. Dominick also contributed to the development of the X-47B, V-22 Osprey, E-2C Hawkeye, and F-35C Lightning II. At the time of his selection as an Astronaut, Dominick was serving as Department Head with VFA-115, based out of Atsugi, Japan.
His promotion to Navy commander was approved on June 27, 2019, and made effective on September 1, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.navy.mil/Resources/NAVADMINs/Message/Article/2337523/active-duty-promotions-to-the-permanent-grades-of-captain-commander-lieutenant/ |title=Active Duty Promotions to the Permanent Grades of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and Chief Warrant Officers in the Line and Staff Corps |date=August 20, 2020 |publisher=U.S. Navy |accessdate=December 21, 2020}}
NASA career
In June 2017, Dominick was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 22 and began his two-year training. At the time of his selection, Dominick was at sea on the {{USS|Ronald Reagan|CVN-76|6}}.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-new-astronauts/|title=NASA introduces 12 new astronauts|last=Harwood|first=William|date=June 7, 2017|work=CBS News|publisher=CBS Broadcasting|accessdate=June 8, 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Dobrin |first1=Isabel |title="It's incredibly humbling": Two NASA astronaut candidates with local ties are over the moon |url=https://pilotonline.com/news/local/science/it-s-incredibly-humbling-two-nasa-astronaut-candidates-with-local/article_a78dd697-cdda-522e-825e-f624efd51978.html |access-date=April 2, 2021 |publisher=The Virginian-Pilot |date=June 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608193950/https://pilotonline.com/news/local/science/it-s-incredibly-humbling-two-nasa-astronaut-candidates-with-local/article_a78dd697-cdda-522e-825e-f624efd51978.html |archive-date=June 8, 2017}} He was the commander of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the ISS.{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/space-station-assignments-out-for-nasa-s-spacex-crew-8-mission|title=Space Station Assignments Out for NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Mission|date=5 August 2023|access-date=5 August 2023}}
Personal life
{{Commons category|Photographs by Matthew Dominick}}
Dominick and his wife, Faith, have two daughters.
Photography is one of Dominick’s hobbies. During his time on the ISS, his images of weather phenomena, storms, spacecraft and his creative ways of capturing everyday life on the station garnered media attention.{{Cite web |last=Gabriel |first=Angeli |date=2024-08-02 |title=Meet the NASA astronaut who peered into eye of hurricane from space |url=https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/nasa-astronaut-matthew-dominick-photography-hurricane-beryl.amp |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=FOX Weather |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick captures mesmerizing 'single lightning strike' |url=https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/nasa-astronaut-matthew-dominick-captures-mesmerizing-single-lightning-strike/amp_articleshow/112586073.cms |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=The Economic Times}}{{Cite web |last=Growcoot |first=Matt |date=July 9, 2024 |title=A NASA Astronaut is Taking Beautiful and Creative Photos Onboard the ISS |url=https://petapixel.com/2024/07/09/a-nasa-astronaut-is-taking-beautiful-and-creative-photos-on-the-iss/ |access-date=August 23, 2024 |website=PetaPixel}}
Awards and honors
Dominick was the 2015 Naval Test Wing Atlantic Test Pilot of the Year and a Member of the 2015 Department of the Navy Test Team of the Year. He has received three Strike/Flight Air Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Society of Flight Test Engineers, and the Tailhook Association.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NASA Astronaut Group 22}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dominick, Matthew}}
Category:People from Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Category:University of San Diego alumni
Category:Military personnel from Colorado
Category:United States Navy officers
Category:United States Naval Aviators
Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni
Category:United States Naval Test Pilot School alumni