Robert L. Stewart
Robert Stewart | |
---|---|
NASA astronaut | |
Rank | Brigadier General, USA |
Time in space | 12d 0h 49m |
Selection | NASA Group 8 (1978) |
Total EVAs | 2 |
Total EVA time | 12h 12m[1] |
Missions | STS-41-B STS-51-J |
Mission insignia |
Robert Lee Stewart (born August 13, 1942)[2] is an American retired military officer and NASA astronaut who was a brigadier general of the United States Army.
Personal
Stewart was born August 13, 1942, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Hattiesburg High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 1960. He also received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1964, and a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1972. Stewart is married and has two children.[2]
His interests include woodworking, photography, and skiing.[2]
Military career
Stewart entered on active duty with the
He has military and civilian experience in 38 types of airplanes and helicopters and logged approximately 6,000 hours total flight time.
NASA career
Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, Stewart became a NASA astronaut in August 1979. His technical duties in the Astronaut Office included: testing and evaluation of the entry flight control systems for
in 1985, and logged a total of 289 hours in space, including approximately 12 hours of EVA operations.Although astronauts who had served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II (including Gus Grissom and Deke Slayton) had previously flown, Stewart was the first active-duty Army officer to make a spaceflight.
While in training for his scheduled third flight (
Spaceflight experience
Stewart first EVA, together with Bruce McCandless lasted 6 hours and 17 minutes. During the second EVA, Stewart used the MMU for an untethered spacewalk, lasted 5 hours and 55 minutes.[1]
STS-51-J Atlantis (October 3–7, 1985) was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and after 98 hours of orbital operations returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It was the second Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission, and the maiden voyage of Atlantis. During the mission, he was responsible for a number of on-orbit activities.[2]
Later career
Stewart retired from the Army in 1992 and made his home in Woodland Park, Colorado, for many years. He was employed as director of advanced programs at the Nichols Research Corporation in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before retiring. He later moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where he currently resides. He makes appearances at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, greeting visitors and signing autographs.
Organizations
He has been a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Association of Space Explorers, Phi Eta Sigma, and the Scabbard and Blade (a military honor society).
Awards and honors
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
- Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters
- Bronze Star
- Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Medal with six silver oak leaf clusters and two bronze oak leaf clusters
- Valor device
- NASA Space Flight Medals (1984 & 1985)
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Army Aviation Award of the Year, 1984
- AHS Feinberg Memorial Award
- AIAAOberth Award
References
- ^ a b "Stewart EVA experience". spacefacts.de.
- ^ National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
External links
- "ROBERT L. STEWART (BRIGADIER GENERAL, USA, RET.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. December 1993. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- Spacefacts biography of Robert Stewart