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DANIEL C. BRANDENSTEIN - Former NASA Astronaut
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Watertown’s Own: Daniel C Brandenstein --
NASA Astronaut (Former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born January 17, 1943, in Watertown,
Wisconsin. Married to the former Jane A. Wade of Balsam Lake,
Wisconsin. They have one daughter. Recreational interests
include skiing, sailing, basketball, softball, golf, and woodworking.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brandenstein, are residents of
Watertown, Wisconsin. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wade,
reside in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Watertown High School,
Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1961; received a bachelor of science
degree in mathematics and physics from the University of
Wisconsin (River Falls) in 1965.
ORGANIZATIONS: Associate Fellow, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Member, Society of
Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), Association of Space Explorers,
United States, Naval Institute, and Association of Naval Aviation.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded 2 Defense Superior Service
Medals the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross,
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 17 Air Medals, 2 Navy
Commendation Medals with Combat V, Meritorious Unit
Commendation, 2 NASA Distinguished Service Medals, 2 NASA
Outstanding Leadership Medals, 4 NASA Space Flight Medals,
National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary
Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon,
Legion of Honor (France), Medal of King Abdul Aziz (Saudi
Arabia), Republic of Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross with Silver Star,
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and Republic
of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Distinguished Alumnus, University
of Wisconsin, River Falls. Honorary Doctor of Engineering,
Milwaukee School of Engineering, Honorary Doctor of Science,
University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Recipient of the SETP Iven
C. Kincheloe Award, the AIAA Haley Space Flight Award, the
Federation Aeronautique International Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal
and American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award.
EXPERIENCE: Brandenstein entered active duty with the Navy in
September 1965 and was attached to the Naval Air Training
Command for flight training. He was designated a naval aviator at
Naval Air Station, Beeville, Texas, in May 1967, and then
proceeded to VA-128 for A-6 fleet replacement training. From
1968 to 1970, while attached to VA-196 flying A-6 Intruders, he
participated in two combat deployments on board the USS
Constellation and the USS Ranger to Southeast Asia and flew
192 combat missions. In subsequent assignments, he was
attached to VX-5 for the conduct of operational tests of A-6
weapons systems and tactics; and to the Naval Air Test Center
where, upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School,
Patuxent River, Maryland, he conducted tests of electronic
warfare systems in various Navy aircraft. Brandenstein made a
nine- month deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean
on board the USS Ranger while attached to VA-145 flying A-6
Intruders during the period March 1975 to September 1977. Prior
to reporting to Houston as an astronaut candidate, he was
attached to VA-128 as an A-6 flight instructor. He has logged
6,400 hours flying time in 24 different types of aircraft and has
400 carrier landings.
Selected by NASA in January 1978, Brandenstein became an
astronaut in August 1979. He was ascent spacecraft
communicator (CAPCOM) and a member of the astronaut support
crew for STS-1 (the first flight of the Space Shuttle). He was
subsequently assigned to the STS-2 astronaut support crew and
was the ascent CAPCOM for the second Space Shuttle flight. A
veteran of four space flights -- STS-8 (August 30-September 3,
1983), STS-51G (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,
Brandenstein served as the Deputy Director of Flight Crew
Operations. From April 1987 through September 1992
Brandenstein served as Chief of the Astronaut Office. In October
1992 Brandenstein retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy.
Brandenstein currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for
United Space Alliance. He came to USA from Lockheed Martin
Mission Services where he served as Vice President and
Program Manager for the Mission Support Operations Contract at
the NASA Johnson Space Center.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Brandenstein was pilot on STS-
8, his first flight, which launched at night from the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida, on August 30, 1983. This was the third flight for
the Orbiter Challenger and the first mission with a night launch
and night landing. During the mission crew members deployed
the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-1B); operated the Canadian-
built 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.
On his second mission (June 17-24, 1985). Brandenstein
commanded the crew of STS-51G aboard the Orbiter Discovery.
During this seven-day mission crew members deployed
communications satellites for Mexico (Morelos), the Arab League
(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), six "Getaway Specials",
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 in
approximately 170 hours.
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 21,400-pound Long Duration
Exposure Facility (LDEF) using the RMS. They also operated a
variety of middeck 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.
Brandenstein also commanded the crew of STS-49 (May 7-16,
1992) on the maiden flight of the new Space Shuttle Endeavour.
During this mission, the crew conducted the initial test flight of
Endeavour, performed a record four EVA's (space walks) to
retrieve, repair and deploy the International Telecommunications
Satellite (INTELSAT) and to demonstrate and evaluate numerous
EVA tasks to be used for the assembly of Space Station
Freedom. Additionally, a variety of medical, scientific and
operational tests were conducted throughout the mission. STS-49
logged 213 hours in space and 141 Earth orbits prior to landing at
Edwards Air Force Base, California, where the crew conducted
the first test of the Endeavour's drag chute.
With the completion of his fourth flight, Brandenstein logged over
789 hours in space.
Source: www.jsc.nasa.gov
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