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Zamka
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George David Zamka American Pilot Astronaut. Born 29 June 1962.

Personal: Male, Married, two children. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. US Marine Corps US Marine Corps

Astronaut Career

Astronaut Group: NASA Group 17 - 1998. Active Entered space service: 4 June 1998. Number of Flights: 1.00. Total Time: 15.10 days.

NASA Official Biography

NAME: George D. Zamka (Major, USMC)
NASA Astronaut Candidate (Pilot)

PERSONAL DATA:
Born June 29, 1962 in Jersey City, New Jersey, but considers Rochester, Michigan to be his hometown. Married to the former Elisa P. Walker of Raymond, Mississippi. They have one child. Recreational interests include weight lifting, running, bicycling, scuba and boating. His mother, Sofia Zamka, resides in Lake Mary, Florida. His father, Conrad Zamka resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.

EDUCATION:
Graduated from Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Michigan, in 1980; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy in 1984; received a Masters of Science degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1997.

ORGANIZATIONS:
United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Marine Corps Association, and Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

SPECIAL HONORS:
Navy Strike Air Medal (6), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, and various other military service and campaign awards. Distinguished Graduate, United States Naval Academy. Commodore's list and Academic Achievement Award, Training Air Wing Five.

EXPERIENCE:
Zamka was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps following graduation from the United States Naval Academy in May 1984. He graduated from the Marine Corps Basic School in December 1984. Upon completion of Naval Aviator training he reported to Navy Attack Squadron VA-128 for initial A-6 training in August of 1987. He then reported to Marine All Weather Attack Squadron VMA(AW)-242 in El Toro, California. While assigned to VMA(AW)-242, Zamka made an overseas deployment to Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. He attended the Marine Aviation Warfare and Tactics Instructor Course and was assigned as the Squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor. In 1990, he was selected for and completed F/A-18 conversion training and was assigned to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA(AW)-121, also in El Toro, California. He flew the F/A-18D Night Attack Hornet during overseas deployments to Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Southwest Asia. Zamka flew 66 combat missions over occupied Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Storm. In 1993 he served as a forward air controller with First Battalion, Fifth Marines in Camp Pendleton, California and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) aboard USS Belleau Wood in the Western Pacific. He was selected to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School class 94A and graduated in December 1994. Zamka was then assigned as an F/A-18 test pilot/project officer and the F/A-18 Operations Officer for the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS). While assigned to NSATS, Zamka flew a wide variety of tests in the F/A-18 Hornet to include high angle of attack, loads, flutter, and weapon system programs. Major Zamka returned to VMFA(AW)-121 in 1998 and was serving as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer, deployed to Iwakuni, Japan when selected for the astronaut program.

He has logged over 2700 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE:
Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Astronaut Candidate Training includes orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques. Following a period of training and evaluation, Zamka will receive technical assignments within the Astronaut Office before being assigned to a space flight.

OCTOBER 1998

Zamka Spaceflight Log

  • 23 October 2007 Flight: STS-120. Flight Up: STS-120. Flight Back: STS-120. Flight Time: 15.10 days.
Zamka Chronology

23 October 2007 - STS-120. Main mission objectives were delivery of the Harmony module to the station, and external work to move the P6 truss to its final location and put the ISS into its full-power configuration for the first time. Discovery docked with the ISS at the Destiny module at 12:40 GMT on 25 October. The cargo of 17,390 kg was as follows:

  • Orbiter Docking System - Bay 1-2 - 1800 kg
  • Spacesuit EMU 3004 - 130 kg
  • Spacesuit EMU 3003 - 130 kg
  • Station Power Distribution Unit SPDU - Bay 3P - 100 kg
  • Fixture for return of S-band Antenna - SASA FSE - Bay 3P - 4S - 100 kg
  • Power/Data Grapple Fixture for Node-2 - PDGF - Bay 5P - 50 kg
  • Main Bus Switching Unit - MBSU - Bay 6S - 238 kg
  • MBSU adapter - Bay 6S - 122 kg
  • Station Power Distribution Unit - SPDU - Bay 6S - 7P - 100 kg
  • Node-2 Harmony module - Bays 8-12 - 14,300 kg
  • OBSS 203 - Sill 450 kg
  • RMS 301 - Sill 410 kg
23 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #01. The Space Shuttle Discovery raced into space this morning with an on-time launch at 10:38 CDT. Onboard are seven crewmembers led by veteran astronaut Pam Melroy. Discovery's crew will join the International Space Station’s Expedition 16 crew Thursday morning.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #01.

23 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #02. The Space Shuttle Discovery is headed to the International Space Station, carrying the Harmony module, destined to become the first expansion of the orbiting complex's living and working space since 2001.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #02.

24 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #03. The astronauts on board Space Shuttle Discovery have begun their first full day in space on a two-week mission to set the stage for delivery of new laboratory modules from two more of the International Space Station’s partner agencies.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #03.

24 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #04. The seven-member crew of STS-120 on board Space Shuttle Discovery is ready for tomorrow’s rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station, planned for 7:33 a.m. CDT.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #04.

27 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #09. Today is the grand opening of the International Space Station’s newest module, a connecting node that will host new laboratory complexes from around the world.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #09.

28 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #12. Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Dan Tani successfully completed all major tasks during STS-120's second spacewalk, the 17th this year and the 94th dedicated to the International Space Station's assembly and maintenance.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #12.

29 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #13. With two successful spacewalks completed in three days, the crews on Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station have some time to relax today while also completing a big handoff and getting prepared for another EVA on Tuesday.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #13.

30 October 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #15. Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock today install the International Space Station’s P6 truss in its final location. A new task was also added to this third spacewalk of the mission to provide comparison data of the station’s two solar array rotary joints. The spacewalk is set to begin at 3:53 a.m. CDT.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #15.

3 November 2007 - ISS On-Orbit Status 11/03/07. Day 149 for Clayton Anderson. Flight Day 12 for STS-120/10A; Day 10 of Joint Ops.

Additional Details: ISS On-Orbit Status 11/03/07.

4 November 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #26. Spacefarers aboard Discovery and the International Space Station congratulated one another on a successful docked mission, shared hugs and farewells and closed the hatches 210 miles above the Pacific Northwest at 2:03 p.m. CST.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #26.

5 November 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #27. All systems are go for this morning’s undocking of space shuttle Discovery from the International Space Station, completing 11 days of joint docked operations that saw the successful delivery of a new pressurized module and the repair of a damaged solar array wing.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #27.

5 November 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #28. Space shuttle Discovery’s crew left the International Space Station this morning after almost 11 days of joint operations with the Expedition 16 crew. After inspecting the orbiter’s heat shield for any micrometeoroid damage, the astronauts turned their attention to returning home on Wednesday.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #28.

6 November 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #29. Landing preparations are the order of the day for the seven astronauts on space shuttle Discovery, who are planning to conclude a two-week mission with a Wednesday landing at the Kennedy Space Center.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #29.

7 November 2007 - Landing of STS-120.
7 November 2007 - STS-120 MCC Status Report #32. After 6.25 million miles and 15 days, space shuttle Discovery landed safely in Florida completing its 34th mission and circling the Earth 238 times.

Additional Details: STS-120 MCC Status Report #32.

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