Terry W. Virts

Terry W. Virts, Jr.
Terry W. Virts, Jr.
Born	December 1, 1967 (age 56); Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Status	Retired
Nationality	American
Occupation	Pilot
	Space career
NASA Astronaut
Rank	Colonel US Air Force
Time in space	213d 10h 48m
Selection	2000 NASA Group
Total EVAs	3
Total EVA time	18 hours 30 minutes
Missions	STS-130, Soyuz TMA-15M (Expedition 42/43)
Mission insignia	File:Soyuz-TMA-15M-Mission-Patch.png

Terry W. Virts, Jr. (born December 1, 1967) is a former NASA astronaut, and Colonel in the United States Air Force.

Background and education

Virts was born in 1967 in Baltimore, Maryland, but considers Columbia, Maryland, to be his hometown. He graduated from Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, Maryland in 1985. He earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics (with a French minor) from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989 and a master of aeronautical science degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1997. While at the Air Force Academy, Virts attended the École de l'Air in 1988 on an exchange program.

Military career

Virts was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989 and earned his pilot wings at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. He completed basic fighter lead-in training at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico followed by formal training in the F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He was then assigned to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. After Hurricane Andrew struck southern Florida in 1992, his squadron was moved to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. He was later assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, and the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Virts was selected for Test Pilot School in 1997 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Following graduation, he was an Experimental Test Pilot at the F-16 Combined Test Force. He has logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft.

NASA career

Selected as a pilot by NASA in July 2000, Virts reported for training in August 2000. His technical assignments have included lead astronaut for the NASA T-38 program, Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) test crewmember, and Expedition 9 crew support astronaut. He was the pilot of STS-130 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour and as of 2015 is assigned as a CAPCOM, communicating with station crews from mission control in Houston.

On November 23, 2014, Soyuz TMA-15M carrying Virts, Samantha Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. It successfully docked at the International Space Station roughly six hours later.^[1]

On February 28, 2015, following the death of Star Trek actor, Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock, Virts tweeted an image from the International Space Station of his Vulcan Cohanim-inspired salute, improvised by the late actor when he was asked to portray an alien life form's desire that others live long and prosper, as the ISS flew over Boston, the city of the actor's birth.^[2]

With the impending scheduled departure of Soyuz TMA-14M in March 2015, Virts assumed command of the International Space Station as commander of Expedition 43.^[3]

Virts retired from NASA in August 2016.^[4]

Awards and honors

Virts graduated with Academic Distinction from the United States Air Force Academy and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, was a distinguished graduate of Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and F-16 training at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Publications

Virts, Terry (2017). View From Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World. National Geographic. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help) - Oversize coffee table book from National Geographic; contains mostly photographs of Earth, with additional photos of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, the International Space Station and related subjects; also contains explanatory notes about Virts' experiences as an astronaut.

References

^ Associated Press. "Crew docks at International Space Station". USA Today. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
^ Associated Press. "Astronaut Sends Vulcan Tribute to Leonard Nimoy From Final Frontier". NBC News. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
^ Newcomb, Alyssa (March 11, 2015). "NASA Astronaut Hands Over Command of International Space Station". ABC News. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
^ Canales, Christina (August 23, 2016). "Veteran Astronaut Terry Virts Retires from NASA". NASA. Retrieved February 16, 2017.

External links

Preceded by Barry E. Wilmore	ISS Expedition Commander March 10, 2015 to June 11, 2015	Succeeded by Gennady Padalka

[1] Associated Press. "Crew docks at International Space Station". USA Today. Retrieved November 24, 2014.

[2] Associated Press. "Astronaut Sends Vulcan Tribute to Leonard Nimoy From Final Frontier". NBC News. Retrieved February 28, 2015.

[3] Newcomb, Alyssa (March 11, 2015). "NASA Astronaut Hands Over Command of International Space Station". ABC News. Retrieved March 12, 2015.

[4] Canales, Christina (August 23, 2016). "Veteran Astronaut Terry Virts Retires from NASA". NASA. Retrieved February 16, 2017.

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