Steven Swanson
{{Short description|American engineer and NASA astronaut (born 1960)}}
{{Similar names|Steve Swanson (disambiguation){{!}}Steve Swanson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name = Steven Swanson
|image = Steven swanson v2.jpg
|caption = Swanson in September 2006
|birth_name = Steven Ray Swanson
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|12|3}}
|birth_place = Syracuse, New York, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|education = {{Unbulleted indent list
| University of Colorado, Boulder (BS)
| Florida Atlantic University (MS)
}}
|type = NASA astronaut
|time = 195{{nbsp}}days, 20{{nbsp}}hours, 45{{nbsp}}minutes
|selection = NASA Group 17 (1998)
|eva1 = 5
|eva2 = 27{{nbsp}}hours, 58{{nbsp}}minutes
|mission = {{Unbulleted indent list
| STS-117
| STS-119
| Soyuz TMA-12M (Expedition 39/40)
}}
|insignia = 45px 45px 45px 45px
|website = {{url|steveswansonastronaut.com|Official website}}
|module = {{Infobox scientist
|embed = yes
|field = Computer science
|thesis_title = A Method and Implementation for Incorporating Heuristic Knowledge into a State Estimator through the Use of a Fuzzy Model
|thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/41078489
|thesis_year = 1998}}
}}
Steven Roy Swanson (born December 3, 1960, in Syracuse, New York) is an American engineer and retired NASA astronaut. Swanson has flown two shuttle flights, STS-117 and STS-119, and one Soyuz flight, TMA-12M. All of the flights were to the International Space Station. He has logged over 195 days in space and completed five spacewalks totaling 27 hours and 58 minutes. Swanson has served in other roles at NASA, such as a CAPCOM for both International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions. His awards and honors include the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the JSC Certificate of Accommodation. Prior to becoming a NASA astronaut, Swanson worked for GTE in Phoenix, Arizona, as a software engineer. He is married and has three children. Steve claims he had the first ever Instagram posted from space.
Early life
Although born in Syracuse, New York, Swanson considers Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to be his home. He graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in 1979, and went on to the University of Colorado to receive a bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1983. In 1986, he received a master of applied science in computer systems from Florida Atlantic University.{{cite web|url=http://www.fau.edu/explore/homepage-stories/2007-06swanson.php|title=Florida Atlantic University Stories of U.|website=Florida Atlantic University|publisher=FAU|access-date=2019-11-20}}
He later received a doctorate in computer science from Texas A&M University in 1998.{{cite web |last1=Flores |first1=Kathy |title=CSE Former Student Steven Swanson heads for space this spring |url=https://engineering.tamu.edu/news/2014/01/cse-former-student-steven-swanson-heads-for-space-this-spring.html |website=engineering.tamu.edu |access-date=18 September 2022 |language=en}}
NASA career
Swanson joined NASA in 1987 as a systems engineer and a flight engineer working on the Shuttle Training Aircraft. He was selected as an astronaut in May 1998. His first mission was STS-117, which launched June 2007. Swanson was a mission specialist and flight engineer on this flight.{{cite web |last1=Yembrick |first1=John |last2=Clem |first2=Kylie |title=07-229 - NASA Assigns Crew for Final Solar Array Delivery to Station |url=https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/oct/HQ_07229_STS-119-Crew.html |website=NASA News Releases |publisher=NASA |access-date=19 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428073006/https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/oct/HQ_07229_STS-119-Crew.html |archive-date=28 April 2021 |date=19 October 2007 |url-status=live}} He served as a mission specialist and lead spacewalker on STS-119, which launched March 15, 2009, and landed on March 28.{{cite web |last1=Pearlman |first1=Robert Z. |title=Space Shuttle Discovery Lands After Landmark Flight |url=https://www.space.com/6512-space-shuttle-discovery-lands-landmark-flight.html |website=Space.com |publisher=Future plc |access-date=28 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428072444/https://www.space.com/6512-space-shuttle-discovery-lands-landmark-flight.html |archive-date=28 April 2021 |date=28 March 2009 |url-status=live}} He launched to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 39/40 on March 25, 2014, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and returned to Earth on September 11, 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition39/index.html|title=Expedition 39|last=Garcia|first=Mark|date=2015-02-12|website=NASA|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{cite web|title=Station Trio Lands Completing 169 Days in Space|url=http://www.nasa.gov/content/station-trio-lands-completing-169-days-in-space/index.html#.VBEKBvldVqU|publisher=NASA.gov|access-date=11 September 2014}} NASA announced Swanson's retirement in August 2015. Since then he has worked at Boise State University as a distinguished educator in residence assisting with programs such as the NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students program.{{Cite web|url = http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/three-time-spaceflight-astronaut-steven-swanson-retires-from-nasa|title = Three-Time Spaceflight Astronaut Steven Swanson Retires From NASA|date = 13 August 2015|access-date = 17 August 2015|publisher = NASA}}
Steven Swanson is a Browncoat, or fan of Joss Whedon's Serenity and Firefly. He added copies of the movie and box set of the TV series to the ISS Movie Library on STS-117 in June 2007.{{cite web| title = Breaking Atmo: Serenity to ISS on STS-117| publisher = Breaking Atmo | url = http://www.breakingatmo.com/status/| access-date = June 10, 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071023051912/http://www.breakingatmo.com/status/| archive-date = October 23, 2007| url-status = dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20191111225207/https://www.steveswansonastronaut.com/ Steve Swanson Website]
- {{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/swanson.pdf |title=STEVEN R. SWANSON, NASA ASTRONAUT |publisher=NASA |access-date=June 18, 2021}}
- [http://en.federalspace.ru/20292/ Russian Federal Space Agency ISS Crews biography]
- [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/swanson_steven.htm Spacefacts biography of Steven Swanson]
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=Koichi Wakata}}
{{s-ttl|title=ISS Expedition Commander|years=13 May 2014 to 10 September 2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Maksim Surayev}}
{{s-end}}
{{NASA Astronaut Group 17}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swanson, Steven R.}}
Category:American computer scientists
Category:University of Colorado alumni
Category:Florida Atlantic University alumni
Category:Texas A&M University alumni
Category:People from Syracuse, New York
Category:Commanders of the International Space Station
Category:Engineers from New York (state)