Wolf Credit: www.spacefacts.de |
Status: Inactive; Active 1990-2001Ret. ?. Born: 1956-08-23. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 168.37 days. Birth Place: Indianapolis, Indiana.
Official NASA Biography as of June 2016:David A. Wolf (BSEE, M.D.)
NASA Astronaut (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born August 23, 1956, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He enjoys sport aerobatic flying, scuba diving, handball, running and water skiing. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Harry Wolf, reside in Indianapolis.
EDUCATION: Graduated from North Central High School, Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1974; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1978, and received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Indiana University in 1982. He completed his medical internship in 1983 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, and United States Air Force flight surgeon training at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Wolf has completed both U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut training.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, 1990, and was NASA Inventor of the Year, 1992. Dr. Wolf graduated €świth distinction€ť from the honors curriculum in Electrical Engineering at Purdue University and received an Academic Achievement Award upon graduation from Indiana University Medical School (combined research program). He is a Purdue €śDistinguished Engineering Alumnus.€ť He received the Carl R. Ruddell scholarship award for research in medical ultrasonic digital signal and image processing. He is a member of Eta Kappa Knu and Phi Eta Sigma honorary societies. Dr. Wolf has received 15 U.S. patents, published more than 40 technical publications or papers, and received more than 20 Space Act Awards, primarily for 3-D tissue engineering technologies for which he received the Texas State Bar Patent of the Year in 1994. Dr. Wolf has received an additional honorary Doctorate from Indiana University and four Spaceflight Medals.
EXPERIENCE: As a research scientist at the Indianapolis Center for Advanced Research from 1980 to 1983, Dr. Wolf established himself as a pioneer in the development of modern medical ultrasonic image processing techniques. This technology applied pulse compression digital RF pulse echo signal processing to improve image resolution and enable target parameter extraction, techniques now used by most commercial systems. He also developed novel Doppler demodulation techniques, extending the range velocity product limitations inherent to conventional pulsed Doppler systems. He served as a USAF senior flight surgeon in the Air National Guard (1983 to 2004), achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel. He has logged more than 2,000 hours of flight time, including air combat training as a weapons systems officer (F4 Phantom jet), T-38 Talon and competition sport aerobatics (Christen Eagle).
NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Wolf served as chief of the Astronaut Office Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Branch for much of the International Space Station (ISS) assembly. He led a team responsible for the development, test and execution of spacewalks from the ISS and space shuttle. This team plays a critical role for ISS assembly, maintenance and repair; requiring innovations to extend EVA capability in the areas of hardware, techniques and human performance. Dr. Wolf has logged 168 days, 12 hours, 56 minutes and 04 seconds in space over four separate missions, including a long-duration mission (128 days) on the Russian MIR space station, which was trained and conducted completely in the Russian language. He has conducted a total of seven spacewalks, using both the American and Russian spacesuits, and has logged 47 hours and 05 minutes of extravehicular activity. He is an active public speaker and is called on to represent NASA in a wide variety of venues to communicate the experience and importance of human space flight.
In 1983, Dr. Wolf joined the Medical Sciences Division, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. He was responsible for the development of the American Flight Echocardiograph, which is used in space for investigating cardiovascular physiology in microgravity. This work required synthesis of spacecraft avionics integration, human physiology and space operations to acquire fundamental cardiovascular data for human space exploration and reveal new Earth-based physiological principles. On completion, he was assigned as Chief Engineer for design of the Space Station Medical Facility, now operational on orbit. This work pioneered concepts in telemedicine, medical informatics and bioinstrumentation. In 1986, he became Chief Engineer (and, later, Program Manager) of the €śSpace Bioreactor,€ť a biotechnology-based tissue engineering and cancer research program. This team, under Dr. Wolf's leadership, achieved the development of state of the art tissue engineering systems now widely used for both commercial and research purposes on Earth. Dr. Wolf fostered the successful technology transfer to private industry and to academic laboratory applications. Special skills developed include real-time computer process control, communications, power systems, bioprocessing, fluid dynamics, aerospace physiology and aerospace medicine. In these roles, Dr. Wolf was responsible for technical and multidisciplinary team leadership, a multimillion dollar budget, systems design, safety (electrical and biological) and spacecraft integration. This €śon schedule€ť program is now a core biotechnology research facility on the ISS.
Selected as a NASA astronaut in January 1990, Dr. Wolf became qualified for space flight in July 1991. His technical assignments have included orbiter vehicle processing and testing at Kennedy Space Center (1991 to 1992) and spacecraft communications (CAPCOM, 1994 to 1995) on console for the first and third shuttle-MIR rendezvous and docking. He is a senior EVA (spacewalk) instructor and has qualified with the shuttle robotic manipulator system (robot arm). Dr. Wolf completed cosmonaut training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia. In December 2012, Dr. Wolf retired from NASA. He now works as a private consultant, serves as Extraordinary Scientist in Residence for the Indianapolis Children's Museum (the largest of its kind), and is an active public and motivational speaker.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-58 Columbia (October 16 to November 1, 1993) was a dedicated Spacelab life sciences research mission. The crew conducted neurovestibular, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal research, using microgravity to reveal fundamental human physiology otherwise masked by Earth's gravity. The mission duration was 14 days, 12 minutes and 32 seconds, a record at that time.
NASA-MIR 6 (Sept 25, 1997 to Jan 31, 1998). This sixth mission of the joint shuttle-MIR long-duration space flight program, immediately following €śthe€ť fire and collision, and recovering from multiple total power failures, played a core role to establish the international relationships serving the foundation of the current ISS Program. Dr. Wolf performed cosmonaut engineering and scientific duties on the Russian MIR space station, including 9 EVA hours in the Russian ORLAN spacesuit. The mission duration was 128 days. Wolf launched on STS-86 and returned on STS-89.
STS-112 Atlantis (October 7 to October 18, 2002) and STS-127 Endeavor (July 15 to July 31, 2009). These missions were on-orbit heavy ISS assembly missions by EVA and Robotics, including the S1 truss, Japanese Exposed Facility (JEF), P6 battery changeouts and multiple large external equipment installations. The missions provided critical ISS spacecraft communications, thermal control and power management systems. Wolf's primary duties were as lead spacewalker (EV1) and rendezvous navigation specialist. He performed a total of 6 spacewalks: 19 hours and 41 minutes of EVA on STS-112; 18 hours and 24 minutes of EVA on STS-127. STS-112 mission duration was 10 days, 19 hours and 58 minutes; and STS-12 mission duration was 15 days, 16 hours, 44 minutes and 58 seconds.
JANUARY 2013
This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought directly from the above named individual.
Selected as a NASA astronaut in January 1990, Dr. Wolf became qualified for spaceflight July 1991. His technical assignments have included Orbiter vehicle processing and test at Kennedy Space Center (1991-1992), STS-58 mission specialist (1993), and spacecraft communications (CAPCOM) (1994-1995). He is qualified for Extravehicular Activity (Spacewalk), Remote Manipulator System (Robot Arm), and Rendezvous. He was the CAPCOM for the first and third Shuttle-MIR rendezvous. He is at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, training for a mission aboard the Russian Space Station Mir in early 1998. He will launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-89 crew.
Dr. Wolf served as a mission specialist astronaut aboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-58), a 14 day dedicated Spacelab life sciences research mission (10/16/93-11/1/93). During this record length shuttle mission the crew conducted neurovestibular, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal research utilizing microgravity to reveal fundamental physiology normally masked by earth gravity. They accomplished 225 orbits in 336 hours, 13 minutes, 01 seconds.
The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights.. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.
Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. Reported to the Johnson Space Center in late July 1990 to begin their year long training. Chosen from 1945 qualified applicants, then 106 finalists screened between September and November 1989.
Atlantis was launched on a mission to the Russian Mir space station. The TI rendevous terminal initiation burn was carried out at 17:32 GMT on September 27, and Atlantis docked with the SO (Docking Module) on the Mir complex at 19:58 GMT. The crew exchange was completed on September 28, with David Wolf replacing Michael Foale on the Mir crew. On October 1 cosmonaut Titov and astronaut Parazynski conducted a spacewalk from the Shuttle payload bay while Atlantis was docked to Mir. They retrieved four MEEP (Mir Environmental Effects Payload ) exposure packages from Mir's SO module and installed the Spektr solar array cap. The MEEP experiments had been attached to the Docking Module by astronauts Linda Godwin and Rich Clifford during Shuttle mission STS-76 in March 1996. In addition to retrieving the MEEP, Parazynski and Titov were to continue an evaluation of the Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER), a small jet-backpack designed for use as a type of life jacket during station assembly.
Atlantis undocked from Mir at 17:28 GMT on October 3 and conducted a flyaround focused on the damaged Spektr Module to determine the location of the puncture in its hull. The Mir crew pumped air into the Spektr Module using a pressure regulator valve, and the Shuttle crew observed evidence that, as expected, the leak seemed to be located at the base of the damaged solar panel. Final separation of Atlantis from Mir took place around 20:28 GMT. After two landing attempts were waved off on October 5 due to heavy cloud cover, the crew fired the engines to deorbit at 20:47 GMT on October 6 and landed at Kennedy Space Center at 21:55.
Two of Endeavour's astronauts will return to their jobs as orbiting construction workers today, installing probes that will measure electrical potential surrounding the station and performing some added "warranty work" on solar array blankets that didn't stretch out completely on Sunday. Additional Details: here....
Space walking Endeavour astronauts sailed through an add-on job to tension a solar blanket Thursday, then completed their other tasks in textbook fashion. They topped off their scheduled activities with an image of an evergreen tree placed atop the P6 solar array structure, the highest point in their construction project. Additional Details: here....
The first space railroad car will get a trial run today, highballing along 26 feet of the track atop the International Space Station's new S-Zero (S0) Truss at a maximum speed of one inch per second, or 100 yards an hour. The 1,900-pound Mobile Transporter begins its run about 6:30 a.m. Additional Details: here....
Expedition Five Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineer Sergei Treschev stepped outside the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station today to swap out Japanese space exposure experiments and a Russian experiment measuring jet thruster residue on the exterior of the Zvezda Service Module in a 5 hour, 21 minute spacewalk. Additional Details: here....
An unmanned Russian resupply craft successfully docked to the International Space Station Sunday, bringing almost a ton of food, fuel and supplies to the residents on board, and for the next trio of space travelers, which will arrive on the ISS in November. Additional Details: here....
ISS Assembly flight delayed from March 22, April 4, August 22, September 28, October 2 due to payload delays and then SSME problems. American shuttle spacecraft STS-112 carried a crew of five Americans and one Russian to the International Space Station (ISS). During the 11-day mission, the crew extended the truss system of the exterior rail line with a 14-m, 13-ton girder. The crew also tested a manual cart on the rails. The cart, named CETA (Crew and Equipment Transportation Aid), was designed to increase mobility of crew and equipment during the later installation phases. STS-112 landed back in Cape Canaveral at 15:43 UT on 2002 October 18 carrying the same crew of six.
The crew of the International Space Station welcomed the first visitors to its home in space today when the hatch between the space station and the space shuttle Atlantis was opened at 11:51 a.m. CDT. Hugs and smiles, backslapping and laughter marked the elated celebration as the shuttle crew entered the International Space Station and greeted the expedition crew. Earlier, guided by Commander Jeff Ashby, Atlantis made a picture-perfect rendezvous and docked with the station at 10:17 a.m. at the end of a chase that began with its launch at 2:46 p.m. on Monday. With the crewmembers merged into a single team, they went to work on preparations for the mission's busiest day tomorrow. Additional Details: here....
A rendezvous in space awaits Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station this morning with docking expected at 10:24 a.m. Central time. The shuttle's six crewmembers are the first visitors for the station's Expedition Five crew since it arrived aboard the station in early June. The week of joint operations begins when the hatches are opened about 12:30 p.m. Television of the approach, docking and hatch opening is expected on NASA TV. Additional Details: here....
Astronauts Dave Wolf and Piers Sellers completed all planned International Space Station assembly tasks today during a 7-hour, 1-minute spacewalk, an excursion focused on attaching the next segment of the station's backbone – the Starboard One (S1) Truss – to the Starboard Zero (S0) Truss. Additional Details: here....
After a very busy day Thursday, the combined shuttle and space station crew took several hours of off-duty time today, and then began transfer operations between the vehicles and preparations for the second of the mission's three spacewalks scheduled to begin at 9:41 a.m. Saturday. Additional Details: here....
With a major milestone of the STS-112 mission behind them, Space Shuttle Atlantis and International Space Station crewmembers will have a quieter day today. Following some time off to relax, the joint crews later will begin transferring equipment and supplies to the orbiting laboratory. Additional Details: here....
Focus of attention aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station once again is outside the complex as Astronauts Dave Wolf and Piers Sellers conduct the second of three planned spacewalks to bring the station's newest component – the Starboard 1 (S1) Truss – to life. Additional Details: here....
Astronauts Dave Wolf and Piers Sellers moved smoothly and ahead of schedule through their second spacewalk of the week today, continuing to bring the International Space Station's newest component to life and installing devices to prevent future difficulties with station cooling connections. Additional Details: here....
On its own again following yesterday's undocking from the International Space Station, Space Shuttle Atlantis and its crew today focuses on readying the orbiter for the return to Earth tomorrow at 10:44 a.m. Weather forecasts indicate pristine conditions across the southeastern U.S. tomorrow with clear skies and light winds. Additional Details: here....
Crew: Polansky, Hurley, Cassidy, Marshburn, Wolf, Payette. Deliver to the ISS and install the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM EF); Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module - Exposed Section (ELM-ES); and Spacelab Pallet - Deployable 2 (SLP-D2).