Patrick G. Forrester

Patrick Forrester
NASA astronaut
Rank	Colonel, USA (ret.)
Time in space	39d 14h 18m[1]
Selection	NASA Group 16 (1996)
Total EVAs	4
Total EVA time	25h 22m[1]
Missions	STS-105 STS-117 STS-128
Mission insignia

Patrick Graham Forrester (born March 31, 1957) is a NASA astronaut, engineer, and former Chief of the Astronaut Office. He is a retired United States Army colonel and Army aviator. He is married and has two children.

Forrester flew on three Space Shuttle missions: STS-105, STS-117, and STS-128.

Personal

Born March 31, 1957, in

• 1975: Graduated from West Springfield High School, Springfield, Virginia
• 1979: Received a
  Applied Sciences and Engineering from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
• 1989: Received a
  Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

• Society of Experimental Test Pilots
• Army Aviation Association of America
• American Helicopter Society

Awards and honors

• U.S. Army Aviation Hall of Fame (2011)
• NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2017)
• NASA Exceptional Service Medal (2008, 2010)
• NASA Space Flight Medal (2001, 2007, 2009)
• The Jack Northrop Award for most outstanding presentation at the 26th Annual Society of Experimental Test Pilots Symposium (1996)
• The Order of St. Michael (Bronze 2001, Silver 2007)
• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Legion of Merit
• Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Oak leaf cluster)
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Expert Infantryman Badge
• The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Certificate of Commendation (1995)

Military career

Forrester graduated from

A Master Army Aviator, Forrester has logged over 5,500 hours in over 50 different aircraft.

Forrester retired from the Army in October 2005.

NASA career

Forrester was assigned to NASA at the Johnson Space Center as an aerospace engineer in July 1993. His technical assignments within the Astronaut Office Operations Development Branch have included: flight software testing with the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); Astronaut Office representative for Landing/Rollout issues, Multi-function Electronic Display System (MEDS) upgrade of the Orbiter fleet, and the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer (PILOT). He has also served as the crew representative for robotics development for the International Space Station.

Forrester was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 1996. Having completed two years of training and evaluation, he is qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Initially, Forrester was assigned to duties at the

Chief of the Astronaut Office

He was announced as

Discovery (August 10–22, 2001) was the 11th mission to the International Space Station (ISS). While at the orbital outpost, the STS-105 crew delivered the Expedition 3 crew, attached the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), and transferred over 2.7 metric tons of supplies and equipment to the station. During the mission, Forrester and Dan Barry performed two spacewalks totaling 11 hours and 45 minutes of EVA time. Forrester served as the prime robotics operator to install the MPLM. STS-105 also brought home the Expedition 2 crew. The STS-105 mission was accomplished in 186 orbits of the Earth, traveling over 4.9 million miles in 285 hours and 13 minutes.

STS-117

Atlantis (June 8–22, 2007) was the 118th Shuttle mission and the 21st mission to visit the ISS, delivering the second starboard truss segment, the third set of U.S. solar arrays and batteries and associated equipment. The successful construction and repair mission involved four spacewalks by two teams. Forrester accumulated 13 hours and 37 minutes of EVA time in two spacewalks. The mission also delivered crewmember Clayton Anderson, and returned with Sunita Williams from the Expedition 15 crew. STS-117 returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California, having traveled 5.8 million miles in 14 days.

STS-128

Discovery (August 28-September 11, 2009) was the 128th Shuttle mission and the 30th mission to the ISS. While at the orbital outpost, the STS-128 crew rotated

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References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the

• "Astronauts and the BSA". Fact sheet. Boy Scouts of America. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved 2006-09-06.
• Spacefacts biography of Patrick G. Forrester
• "Patrick G. Forrester, (Colonel, U.S. Army, Ret.) NASA Astronaut" (PDF). NASA. December 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2021.