Douglas Hurley

Douglas Hurley
Robert Markowitz · Public domain · source
Name	Douglas Hurley
Birth date	March 21, 1966
Birth place	Endicott, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Test pilot, Engineer, Astronaut
Alma mater	Tulane University, Naval Postgraduate School
Known for	Commander of Crew Dragon Demo-2, Space Shuttle missions STS-127 and STS-135

Douglas Hurley

Douglas Gerald Hurley (born March 21, 1966) is an American former United States Marine Corps officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut notable for commanding the first crewed orbital spaceflight launched from the United States since 2011. Hurley piloted two Space Shuttle missions and later commanded the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, marking a milestone in the Commercial Crew Program and U.S. human spaceflight collaboration with SpaceX.

Early life and education

Hurley was born in Endicott, New York, and raised in Apalachin and nearby Vestal, towns in Broome County, New York and the Southern Tier region. He graduated from Vestal Senior High School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Tulane University in New Orleans. Hurley later attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he completed a Master of Science in systems engineering, aligning with curricula at United States Naval Academy-adjacent institutions and professional development pathways used by Naval Air Systems Command and Marine Corps University officers.

Marine Corps career

Hurley was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps upon graduation from Tulane and was designated a naval aviator after primary flight training. He flew the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra attack helicopter with deployments that connected him to Marine Aircraft Group 39 and Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369. After selection for the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Hurley served as a test pilot with assignments that involved aircraft in service with Naval Aviation Schools Command and cooperative test programs with Naval Air Systems Command and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. His Marine Corps career included operational deployments, carrier qualification processes tied to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)-class operations, and technical leadership bridging Marine aviation squadrons and Pentagon-level acquisition offices.

NASA career and astronaut training

Hurley was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in the 2000 astronaut class, joining peers from various military and civilian backgrounds. He completed basic astronaut training at Johnson Space Center and participated in mission support roles within Mission Control Center operations. Hurley trained on systems related to the Space Shuttle orbiter, the International Space Station, and international partner hardware from Roscosmos, European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. His responsibilities encompassed flight crew equipment, mission development, and integration with contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and later SpaceX under the Commercial Crew Program.

Spaceflights

Hurley flew as pilot on two Space Shuttle missions and later commanded the first crewed operational mission of a commercial vehicle. He served as pilot on STS-127 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, supporting assembly flights to the International Space Station that involved work on the Kibo laboratory and collaboration with crews from Expedition 16 and Expedition 17. Hurley also flew as pilot on STS-135, the final flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis, participating in logistics delivery and handover tasks with Expedition 28 crews and marking the end of the Shuttle program. In 2020 Hurley commanded Crew Dragon Demo-2, launched from Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket manufactured by SpaceX. That mission transported him and fellow astronaut Robert Behnken to the International Space Station as part of a joint effort with NASA to resume domestic crewed launches, docking with the Harmony (Node 2) module and joining long-duration crew operations overseen by Expedition 63. Demo-2 conducted rendezvous, docking, and return operations that validated Crew Dragon life support, guidance, navigation, and re-entry systems in coordination with recovery assets including USS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300)-class or similar Navy vessels and splashdown procedures previously used by Apollo-era recovery operations.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career Hurley has received multiple awards from military and civilian institutions. His decorations include Defense Meritorious Service Medal-level recognitions, Navy Distinguished Service Medal-style honors, and NASA-specific commendations such as NASA Distinguished Service Medal and mission-specific awards tied to the Space Shuttle Program and Commercial Crew Program. He has been recognized by veteran organizations, aerospace societies including the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and academic institutions including Tulane University and the Naval Postgraduate School for leadership in aerospace operations and human spaceflight advancement.

Personal life

Hurley is married to fellow astronaut Karen Nyberg Hurley-related family connections have been publicized through joint appearances tied to NASA outreach and Astronaut Hall of Fame-style events. He maintains residences connected to communities near Johnson Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Merritt Island, participating in public speaking engagements and advocacy with organizations such as USO and STEM education initiatives partnered with FIRST and university outreach programs. Hurley's experiences have been featured in media produced by outlets like PBS, National Geographic, and CNN, and he continues to be associated with efforts to expand commercial human spaceflight and international collaboration.

Category:American astronauts Category:United States Marine Corps officers Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts