Daniel Brandenstein

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Daniel Brandenstein
NASA astronaut
RankCaptain, USN
Time in space
32d 21h 3m
SelectionNASA Group 8 (1978)
MissionsSTS-8
STS-51-G
STS-32
STS-49
Mission insignia
RetirementOctober 1992

Daniel Charles Brandenstein (born January 17, 1943) is the

Naval Aviator, test pilot and NASA astronaut, who flew four Space Shuttle missions. He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office
from 1987 to 1992.

Career

Military

After graduating with a

Houston as an astronaut candidate, he was attached to VA-128 as an A-6 flight instructor
.

NASA

Selected by NASA in January 1978, Brandenstein became an astronaut in August 1979. He was ascent spacecraft communicator (

space flights—STS-8 (August 30 – September 3, 1983), STS-51-G (June 17–24, 1985), STS-32 (January 9–20, 1990), and STS-49 (May 7–16, 1992) -- Brandenstein has logged over 789 hours in space. Following his second space flight, he served as the Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations. Between April 1987 and September 1992 Brandenstein served as Chief of the Astronaut Office
.

He retired from NASA and the United States Navy in October 1992.

Brandenstein was a pilot on

Remote Manipulator System (RMS) with the Payload Flight Test Article (PFTA); operated the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) with live cell samples; conducted medical measurements to understand biophysiological effects on space flight and activated various Earth resources and space science experiments along with four "Getaway Special" canisters. STS-8 completed 98 orbits of the Earth in 145 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 3, 1983.[2]

On his second mission (June 17–24, 1985), Brandenstein commanded the crew of

Arabsat) and the United States (AT&T Telstar). They used the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to deploy and later retrieve the SPARTAN satellite, which performed 17 hours of X-ray astronomy experiments while separated from the Space Shuttle. In addition, the crew activated the Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (ADSF) and six "Getaway Specials", they also participated in biomedical experiments and conducted a laser tracking experiment as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. The mission was accomplished in 112 Earth orbits over approximately 170 hours.[3]

Brandenstein then commanded the crew of STS-32 (January 9–20, 1990). In the longest Shuttle mission to date, crew members aboard the Orbiter Columbia successfully deployed the Syncom IV-F5 satellite, and retrieved the 9,724 kg (21,393 lb) Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) using the RMS. They also conducted a variety of mid-deck experiments, including the Microgravity Disturbance Experiment (MDE) using the Fluids Experiment Apparatus (FEA), Protein Crystal Growth (PCG), American Flight Echocardiograph (AFE), Latitude/Longitude Locator (L3), Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE), Characterization of Neurospora Circadian Rhythms (CNCR) and the IMAX camera. Additionally, numerous medical test objectives, including in-flight Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP), in-flight aerobic exercise and muscle performance were conducted to evaluate human adaptation to extended duration missions. Following 173 orbits of the Earth in 261 hours, the mission ended with a night landing in California.[4]

Brandenstein also commanded the crew of

drag chute.[5]

Special honors and awards

He was awarded the

Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal and the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 1992.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Brandenstein's education". Spacefacts.de. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "NASA - STS-8". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  3. ^ "NASA - STS-51G". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  4. ^ "NASA - STS-32". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  5. ^ "NASA - STS-49". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "Daniel C. Brandenstein". www.uwrf.edu. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "Daniel Brandenstein". Archived from the original on August 18, 2001. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  8. ^ "Biographical data: DANIEL C. BRANDENSTEIN (CAPTAIN, USN, RET.) NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. October 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2021.

External links

Preceded by Chief of the Astronaut Office
1987–1992 		Succeeded by

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