Michael P. Anderson

Michael Phillip Anderson (December 25, 1959 – February 1, 2003) was a Lieutenant Colonel (USAF), a NASA astronaut and the Space Shuttle payload commander of STS-107 (Columbia) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Portrait of astronaut Michael P. Anderson, from NASA website File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... U.S. Space Shuttle astronaut Bruce McCandless II using a manned maneuvering unit (MMU) outside the Challenger in 1984. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ... Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering that concerns aircraft, spacecraft and related topics. ... Atmospheric entry is the transition from the vacuum of space to the atmosphere of any planet or other celestial body. ... Layers of Atmosphere (NOAA) Earths atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earths gravity. ...

Personal data

Born December 25, 1959, in Plattsburgh, New York, but considered Spokane, Washington, to be his hometown. Died on February 1, 2003 over the southern United States when Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew perished during entry, 16 minutes prior to scheduled landing. He is survived by his wife and children. Michael enjoyed photography, chess, computers, and tennis. December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Plattsburgh, New York refers to two locations in Clinton County, New York: City of Plattsburgh Town of Plattsburgh This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Spokane (pronounced spō-CAN ), originally called Spokan Falls without an e at the end and means Children of the Sun, is the county seat of Spokane County in the State of Washington, USA. It is also known as the seat of the Inland Empire. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. ... Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-05, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The tower of a personal computer. ... Italic textItaliInsert non-formatted text here--69. ...

Education

• 1977: Graduated from Cheney High School in Cheney, Washington.
• 1981: Bachelor of science degree in physics/astronomy from University of Washington.
• 1990: Master of science degree in physics from Creighton University.

Cheney is a city located in Spokane County, Washington. ... A black hole concept drawing by NASA. Physics (from the Greek, φυσικός (physikos), natural, and φύσις (physis), nature) is the science of the natural world dealing with the fundamental constituents of the universe, the forces they exert on one another, and the results produced by these forces. ... Astrology: the study of the positions of the celestial objects relative to the Earth and how these positions affect happenings on the lives of cultures, nations and the natural environment. ... The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a major public research university in the Seattle metropolitan area. ... Creighton University, founded in 1878, is a Jesuit-Catholic college located in Omaha, Nebraska. ...

Awards

• Posthumously awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal
• the NASA Distinguished Service Medal
• the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (DDSM)
• the Congressional Space Medal of Freedom.

Special honors

• Distinguished graduate USAF Communication Electronics Officers course
• Recipient of the Armed Forces Communication Electronics Associations Academic Excellence Award 1983
• Received the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training Academic Achievement Award for Class 87-08 Vance AFB
• Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal
• the USAF Meritorious Service Medal
• the USAF Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

Tributes

• Washington State Highway 904, running through Cheney, Washington, where he graduated from high school, was renamed in his memory.
• Asteroid 51824 Mikeanderson was posthumously named after Anderson.
• Anderson Hall, in the Columbia Village apartments, at the Florida Institute of Technology is named after him.
• Anderson Plaza, the green space in front of the Hixson-Lied Science Center at Creighton University was named after him in a comprimise between the student body, who wanted the Science Center named for Anderson, and the administration who had already sold the naming rights to the Hixson-Lied family.

Cheney is a city located in Spokane County, Washington. ... An asteroid is a small, solid object in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun. ... // Florida Tech Founded by Jerome P. Keuper in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, absorbing the University of Melbourne, and changing its name to Florida Institute of Technology in 1966, Florida Tech is a growing independent technological college centered on engineering fields. ... Creighton University, founded in 1878, is a Jesuit-Catholic college located in Omaha, Nebraska. ...

Experience

Anderson graduated form the University of Washington in 1981 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. After completing a year of technical training at Keesler AFB Mississippi he was assigned to Randolph AFB Texas. At Randolph he served as Chief of Communication Maintenance for the 2015 Communication Squadron and later as Director of Information System Maintenance for the 1920 Information System Group. In 1986 he was selected to attend Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. Upon graduation he was assigned to the 2nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Offutt AFB Nebraska as an EC 135 pilot, flying the Strategic Air Commands airborne command post code-named “Looking Glass”. From January 1991 to September 1992 he served as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the 920th Air Refueling Squadron, Wurtsmith AFB Michigan. From September 1992 to February 1995 he was assigned as an instructor pilot and tactics officer in the 380 Air Refueling Wing, Plattsburgh AFB New York. Anderson logged over 3000 hours in various models of the KC-135 and the T-38A aircraft. A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, Mississippi. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Randolph Air Force Base (Randolph AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located in Bexar County, Texas near San Antonio. ... Official language(s) None. ... SAC shield The Strategic Air Command or SAC (1945-1991) was the branch of the United States Air Force in charge of Americas bomber-based and ballistic missile-based strategic nuclear arsenal, as well as the infrastructure necessary to support their operations (such as tanker aircraft to fuel the... Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport (IATA: OSC, ICAO: KOSC) is a large civil aviation airport located in Iosco County, Michigan near the unincorporated community of Oscoda. ... Official language(s) English de-facto Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 11th 96,889 mi² / 250,941 km² 239 miles / 385 km 491 miles / 790 km 41. ... Official language(s) English Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first manufactured in 1956 and expected to remain in service into the 2020s. ... The Northrop T-38 Talon is a US-built supersonic jet trainer for military pilots. ...

NASA experience

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Anderson reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. He completed a year of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight crew assignment as a mission specialist. Anderson was initially assigned technical duties in the Flight Support Branch of the Astronaut Office. Anderson flew on STS-89 and STS-107, logging over 593 hours in space. An aerial view of the complete Johnson Space Center facility in Houston, Texas in 1989. ... This is a mission of the United States Space Shuttle // Crew Terrence W. Wilcutt (3), Commander Joe F. Edwards, Jr. ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ...

Space flight experience

STS-89 Endeavour (January 22-31, 1998), was the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission during which the crew transferred more than 9,000 pounds of scientific equipment, logistical hardware and water from the Space Shuttle to Mir. In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89 delivered Andy Thomas to Mir and returned with David Wolf. Mission duration was 8 days, 19 hours and 47 seconds, traveling 3.6 million miles in 138 orbits of the Earth. Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is the fifth and final operational NASA space shuttle to be built. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... MIR is a TLA that could mean: Mail-in rebate Medical Inspection Room - the place for sick parade in most British and Commonwealth militaries and many NGOs. ... Andy Thomas (Astronaut) Andrew Andy S.W. Thomas (b. ... David Wolf David A. Wolf (born 23 August 1956) is an American astronaut and a veteran of three space shuttle missions and an extended stay aboard the Mir space station. ... ... Earth is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ...

STS-107 Columbia (January 16 to February 1, 2003). The 16-day flight was a dedicated science and research mission. Working 24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts, the crew successfully conducted approximately 80 experiments. The STS-107 mission ended abruptly on February 1, 2003 when Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew perished during entry, 16 minutes before scheduled landing. Mission duration was 15 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes. January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Quotes

Prior to the final launch of the Columbia, Anderson stated:

• "There's always that unknown."

See also:

• Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
• space science

Shuttle debris falling over Texas, on Time cover The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster was the disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas on February 1, 2003, during reentry into the Earths atmosphere on its 28th mission, STS-107. ... Space science, or the space sciences, are fields of science that are concerned with the study or utilization of outer space. ...

References

• NASA biography
• Michael Anderson STS-107 Crew Memorial
• Florida Today - Florida Tech dedicates dorms to Columbia 7 - October 29, 2003

External links

• The Chicago Alliance for Minority Participation Keynote Address by Major Michael P. Anderson
• Spacefacts biography of Michael P. Anderson