Robert L. Stewart

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Robert Stewart
NASA astronaut
RankBrigadier General, USA
Time in space
12d 0h 49m
SelectionNASA Group 8 (1978)
Total EVAs
2
Total EVA time
12h 12m[1]
MissionsSTS-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

UH-60A Black Hawk
.

He has military and civilian experience in 38 types of airplanes and helicopters and logged approximately 6,000 hours total flight time.

NASA career

Robert L. Stewart

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

CAPCOM for STS-5. He served as a mission specialist on STS-41-B in 1984 and STS-51-J
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 (

STS-61-K, ultimately cancelled as a result of the Challenger disaster) in 1986, Stewart was selected by the Army for promotion to brigadier general. Upon accepting this promotion, Stewart was reassigned from NASA to be the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command, in Huntsville, Alabama. In this capacity, Stewart managed research efforts in developing ballistic missile defense technology. He was reassigned as Director of Plans, United States Space Command, Colorado Springs, Colorado
, in 1989.

Spaceflight experience

Army Astronaut Badge
.

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 (left) with John Rouse, University of Texas at Arlington Dean of Engineering, 1984

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

References

  1. ^ a b "Stewart EVA experience". spacefacts.de.
  2. ^
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    .

External links