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| Doug Hurley | |
|---|---|
| Name | Douglas G. Hurley |
| Birth date | May 21, 1966 |
| Birth place | Endicott, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Test Pilot, NASA Astronaut, United States Marine Corps Colonel (ret.) |
| Alma mater | Tulane University, Naval Postgraduate School |
| Missions | STS-127, STS-135, Crew Dragon Demo-2 |
Doug Hurley is an American former United States Marine Corps pilot and NASA astronaut who commanded the final flight of the Space Shuttle program and the first crewed orbital flight of a commercial spacecraft. He is known for leadership on STS-135 and Crew Dragon Demo-2, contributing to transitions between the Space Shuttle program and commercial crew partnerships with SpaceX. Hurley's career bridges service in the United States Marine Corps and roles with Johnson Space Center, Boeing, and SpaceX-partnered programs.
Hurley was born in Endicott, New York and raised in Apalachin, New York near Binghamton, New York. He graduated from John S. Burke Catholic Academy before attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He later completed a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. During his youth he was influenced by visits to Kennedy Space Center and exhibits at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and National Air and Space Museum.
Hurley commissioned through the United States Marine Corps and trained at Naval Air Station Pensacola and Miramar Naval Air Station as a Naval Flight Officer-turned-pilot. He flew the F/A-18 Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons and deployed aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Nimitz (CVN-68). Selected for the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, he conducted developmental flight test for Grumman and McDonnell Douglas platforms and graduated alongside classmates with backgrounds tied to United States Naval Aviation and Marine Corps Aviation. He attained the rank of Colonel before transitioning to NASA.
Selected as an astronaut in the NASA Astronaut Group 17 class, Hurley trained at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas and worked in the Spacecraft and Crew Systems and Flight Crew Operations Directorate groups. He served as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control Center for International Space Station expeditions and participated in development programs tied to the Orbiter life-extension efforts, Space Shuttle External Tank upgrades, and international partnerships with Roscosmos and European Space Agency. Hurley contributed to crew procedures for shuttle rendezvous and docking involving the Canadarm2 and collaborated with contractors including Rockwell International, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin during shuttle-to-ISS operations.
Hurley piloted on STS-127 to the International Space Station and commanded STS-135, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, operating with crew members from organizations such as NASA, Canadian Space Agency, and JAXA. Years later he returned to space commanding Crew Dragon Demo-2, a commercial crew mission developed by SpaceX in partnership with NASA and flying to the International Space Station alongside crewmate Robert Behnken. The Demo-2 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, flew a docking sequence compatible with International Docking Adapter, and splashed down into the Gulf of Mexico. Missions engaged hardware and procedures influenced by entities like Sierra Nevada Corporation, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Arianespace, and United Launch Alliance for comparative commercial access to low Earth orbit. Hurley's flights involved coordination with international partners including JAXA, European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Roscosmos and interfaced with ISS modules such as Harmony (ISS module), Tranquility (ISS module), and Destiny (ISS module).
Hurley has received military decorations from the United States Department of Defense and honors from NASA, including NASA Distinguished Service Medal and NASA Spaceflight Medal. His awards include recognitions from the United States Marine Corps and civilian organizations such as Aerospace Industries Association and the National Space Society. He has been commemorated with accolades from universities including Tulane University and professional societies like the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Agencies and institutions that have recognized him include the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, and civic bodies in New York.
Hurley is married and resides in the Houston metropolitan area while maintaining ties to Upstate New York communities near Binghamton, New York. He has participated in outreach with organizations such as Boy Scouts of America, FIRST Robotics Competition, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, and public engagements at venues including Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Outside aviation he is associated with charitable and educational institutions like United Way and university alumni networks at Tulane University and the Naval Postgraduate School.
Category:American astronauts Category:United States Marine Corps officers