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Behnken, Robert Louis

Person · USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Behnken
Behnken
Credit: www.spacefacts.de

American engineer mission specialist astronaut 2000-on.

Official NASA Biography as of June 2016:Robert L. Behnken (COLONEL, USAF, Ph.D.)
NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA:  Hometown:  St. Ann, Missouri.  Married.  Recreational interests include mountain biking, skiing and backpacking.  He has a younger sister, four nephews and two nieces.  His father resides in St. Ann, Missouri.

EDUCATION:  Pattonville High School, Maryland Heights, Missouri, 1988
Bachelor of Science in Physics and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Washington University, 1992
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1993 
Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1997

SPECIAL HONORS:  Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Senior, Washington University (1992); National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (1993 to 1996); United States Air Force medals include Meritorious Service, Defense Meritorious Service and Defense Superior Service; NASA Space Flight Medals (2008, 2010)

EXPERIENCE:  Colonel Behnken's thesis research was in the area of nonlinear control applied to stabilizing rotating stall and surge in axial flow compressors.  The research included nonlinear analysis, real-time software implementation development and extensive hardware construction.  During his first two years of graduate study, Colonel Behnken developed control algorithms and hardware for flexible robotic manipulators.

Prior to entering graduate school, Colonel Behnken was an Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) student at Washington University in St. Louis and, after graduate school, was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.  While at Eglin, he worked as a Technical Manager and Developmental Engineer for munitions systems.  Colonel Behnken was next assigned to attend the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.  After graduating, he was assigned to the F-22 Combined Test Force (CTF) at Edwards.  In the F-22 test program, he served as the lead Flight Test Engineer for the 4th F-22.  Colonel Behnken has more than 1,300 flight hours in more than 25 different types of aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE:  Selected as a Mission Specialist by NASA in July 2000, Colonel Behnken reported for training in August 2000.  Following the completion of 18 months of training and evaluation, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Shuttle branch, supporting launch and landing activities at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  During the fall of 2008, Colonel Behnken trained as a Mission Specialist for STS-400, the launch-on-need rescue flight for the last Hubble servicing mission.  Since then, within the Astronaut Office, he has served in the Exploration branch, as Chief of the Space Station Operations Branch, and as Deputy Chief for Space Station Operations.  Currently, Colonel Behnken serves as the Chief of the Astronaut Office.

SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE:  Colonel Behnken flew STS-123 in March 2008 and STS-130 in February 2010, logging more than 708 hours in space, including more than 37 hours in six spacewalks.

STS-123 Endeavour (March 11 to March 26, 2008) was a night launch/landing and the 25th International Space Station assembly mission.  Endeavour's crew delivered the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Kibo Laboratory and the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System, the Canadian-built Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as Dextre.  Colonel Behnken served as Mission Specialist 1 for ascent and entry, performed three spacewalks, served as the Internal Spacewalk Coordinator (IV) and operated both the station robotic arm and the Dextre robot.  The mission was accomplished in 250 orbits of the Earth, traveling 6,577,857 statute miles in 15 days, 18 hours, 10 minutes and 54 seconds.

STS-130 Endeavour (February 8 to February 21, 2010) was a night launch/landing and the 32nd International Space Station assembly mission.  Endeavour's crew delivered and outfitted Node 3, also known as Tranquility, and the Cupola, a seven€‘window observation portal for observing the Earth and space.  Colonel Behnken served as Mission Specialist 4, operated the space station robotic arm, served as the spacewalking lead and performed three spacewalks.  The mission was accomplished in 217 orbits of the Earth, traveling 5,738,991 statute miles in 13 days, 18 hours, 6 minutes and 24 seconds.

AUGUST 2012

OFFICIAL NASA BIOGRAPHY

NAME: Robert L. Behnken, Captain, USAF, Mission Specialist

BIRTHDATE/PLACE: July 7, 1970 - Creve Coeur, MO

RESIDENCE WHEN RECRUITED: Lancaster, CA

EDUCATION: Pattonville High School, St. Ann, MO, 1988; B.S., Physics & Mechanical Engineering, Washington University, 1992; M.S., Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1993; Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1993.

POSITION WHEN RECRUITED: Operations Engineer, Avionics F-22 Combined Test Force Edwards AFB, CA

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Chronology

50 events

1970 July 7

  • Birth of Robert Louis Behnken - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken. American engineer mission specialist astronaut 2000-on. 2 spaceflights, 29.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-123 (2008), STS-130..

2000 July 27

  • NASA Astronaut Training Group 18 selected. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Antonelli, Barratt, Behnken, Boe, Bowen, Drew, Feustel, Ford, Kevin, Garan, Good, Hurley, Kopra, McArthur, Megan, Nyberg, Stott, Virts, Wilmore.

    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.. Seven pilots and ten mission specialists; 14 men and 3 women.

2008 February 27

2008 February 28

2008 March 4

  • ISS On-Orbit Status 03/04/08 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Eyharts, Foreman, Love, Malenchenko, Whitson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-124.

    In the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 Leo Eyharts had an hour allotted to perform troubleshooting on a structural element which earlier (2/17) had prevented installation of a K-BAR (Knee-Brace Assembly Replacement) capture mechanism on the overhead F2 rack, as required for relocating of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and EXPRESS Rack 3 (ER3). Additional Details: here....

2008 March 5

  • ISS On-Orbit Status 03/05/08 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Eyharts, Foreman, Love, Malenchenko, Whitson. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-124.

    In the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 Leo Eyharts had an hour allotted to perform troubleshooting on a structural element which earlier (2/17) had prevented installation of a K-BAR (Knee-Brace Assembly Replacement) capture mechanism on the overhead F2 rack, as required for relocating of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and EXPRESS Rack 3 (ER3). Additional Details: here....

2008 March 7

2008 March 11

2008 March 11

2008 March 11

2008 March 11

06:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
  • STS-123 - . Call Sign: Endeavour. Crew: Behnken, Doi, Foreman, Gorie, Johnson, Gregory H, Linnehan, Reisman. Payload: Endeavour F21 / Dextre, Kibo ELM-PS. Mass: 118,950 kg (262,230 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Doi, Foreman, Gorie, Johnson, Gregory H, Linnehan, Reisman. Agency: NASA. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-123 ISS EO-16. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Endeavour. Duration: 15.76 days. Decay Date: 2008-03-27 00:40:41 . USAF Sat Cat: 32699 . COSPAR: 2008-009A. Apogee: 346 km (214 mi). Perigee: 341 km (211 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 91.40 min.

    Endeavour's main task was delivery of the Canadian Dextre robotic manipulator (fitted to the end of the Canadarm-2 robotic arm already installed on the station) and the Japanese Kibo ELM-PS Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized. It also brought astronaut Reisman to the station, replacing Eyharts on the long-duration crew. The orbiter was placed in an initial 58 km x 220 km orbit at main engine shutdown, adjusted by the OMS-2 firing 38 minutes later to a 220 km x 233 km chase orbit. On 13 March the shuttle docked with the PMA-2 port of the International Space Station at 03:49 GMT. Mission accomplished, Endeavour undocked at 00:25 GMT on March 25, completed the customary ISS flyaround at 01:36 GMT, deorbited at 23:33 GMT the next day, and landed at 00:39 GMT at Kennedy Space Center.

2008 March 12

2008 March 13

2008 March 13

2008 March 14

2008 March 14

2008 March 15

2008 March 15

2008 March 16

2008 March 16

2008 March 16

2008 March 17

2008 March 17

2008 March 17

  • EVA STS-123-3 - . Crew: Behnken, Linnehan. EVA Duration: 0.31 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Linnehan. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-123.

    The astronauts completed assembly of the Dextre robotic manipulator, installed the LWAPA adapter plate on the External Payload Facility of the Columbus module, and transferred spare equipment from Endeavour's payload bay to the station's External Stowage Platform 2. They were unable to complete the planned installation of the MISSE 6 sample exposure experiment on the LWAPA.

2008 March 17

2008 March 18

2008 March 18

2008 March 18

2008 March 18

2008 March 19

2008 March 19

2008 March 19

2008 March 20

2008 March 20

2008 March 20

  • EVA STS-123-4 - . Crew: Behnken, Foreman. EVA Duration: 0.27 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Foreman. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-123. The crew replaced a power control box on the station truss and carried out the T-RAD experiment, repairing a sample damaged heat shield tiles using a putty-like material..

2008 March 21

2008 March 21

  • STS-123 MCC Status Report #21 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Foreman. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-123 ISS EO-16. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the fourth spacewalk of Endeavour's STS-123 mission early today. The duration of the spacewalk was 6 hours 24 minutes, and it was the 108th spacewalk in support of the construction of the International Spa. Additional Details: here....

2008 March 21

2008 March 21

  • STS-123 MCC Status Report #23 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Foreman. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-123 ISS EO-16. Endeavour's crew completed additional inspections of the space shuttle's heat shield using the Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS) today. The detailed inspection performed by Commander Dom Gorie, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi included . Additional Details: here....

2008 March 22

2008 March 22

  • EVA STS-123-5 - . Crew: Behnken, Foreman. EVA Duration: 0.25 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Foreman. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-123.

    The crew completed installation of the MISSE 6 sample exposure experiment; assisted in the installation of the OBSS arm, used to inspect the underside of the Shuttle, on the Station truss. The crew finally made inspections of the damaged Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, required to develop a future repair method.

2008 March 22

  • STS-123 MCC Status Report #25 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Foreman, Linnehan. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-11, STS-122 ISS EO-16, STS-123, STS-123 ISS EO-16. Capping a series of five spacewalks, astronauts Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the final spacewalk of the STS-123 mission at 9:36 p.m. CDT. Their 6-hour, 2-minute excursion was highlighted by the positioning of robotic boom to its temporary . Additional Details: here....

2008 March 22

2008 March 23

2008 March 26

2008 March 27

00:39 GMT - .

2010 February 8

09:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
  • STS-130 - . Call Sign: Endeavour. Crew: Behnken, Hire, Patrick, Robinson, Virts, Zamka. Payload: Endeavour F24 / Tranquility / Cupola. Mass: 121,320 kg (267,460 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Behnken, Hire, Patrick, Robinson, Virts, Zamka. Agency: NASA. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: Soyuz TMA-16, Soyuz TMA-17, STS-130. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Endeavour. Duration: 13.75 days. Decay Date: 2010-02-22 03:20:00 . USAF Sat Cat: 36394 . COSPAR: 2010-004A. Apogee: 348 km (216 mi). Perigee: 334 km (207 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 91.40 min. Docked with the ISS at 05:06 GMT on 10 February. Primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center, providing a 360-degree view around the station..

2010 February 12

2010 February 14

  • EVA STS-130-2 - . Crew: Behnken, Patrick. EVA Duration: 0.25 days. Nation: USA. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-16, Soyuz TMA-17, STS-130. Installed ammonia plumbing and connectors between Unity, Destiny and Tranquility and covered them with thermal insulation. Prepared the nadir port on Tranquility for the relocation of the Cupola, and installed handrails on the exterior of Tranquility..

2010 February 17

  • EVA STS-130-3 - . Crew: Behnken, Patrick. EVA Duration: 0.24 days. Nation: USA. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-16, Soyuz TMA-17, STS-130. Installed additional ammonia plumbing between Unity and Tranquility, removed insulation and launch locks from the Cupola, installed additional handrails on the exterior of Tranquility and performed get-ahead tasks to support the installation of a PDGF on .