Gregory C. Johnson (astronaut)

Gregory C. Johnson (astronaut)
Name	Gregory C. Johnson
Birth date	1954-07-23
Birth place	Bossier City, Louisiana, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Naval aviator, test pilot, NASA astronaut
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy, University of Tennessee
Rank	Captain, United States Navy
Missions	STS-125

Gregory C. Johnson (astronaut) was an American naval aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut who flew as pilot on Space Shuttle mission STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Born in Bossier City, Louisiana, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served in the United States Navy before selection by NASA as an astronaut. Johnson's career bridged Naval Aviation operations, Flight Test programs, and human spaceflight, contributing to Space Shuttle program objectives and Hubble Space Telescope maintenance.

Early life and education

Johnson was born in Bossier City, Louisiana and raised in Beaumont, Texas and attended South Park High School (Beaumont, Texas), graduating in 1972. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1976 and commissioning as an officer in the United States Navy. He later obtained a Master of Science degree in aeronautical systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute and completed postgraduate work related to avionics with ties to Naval Air Systems Command programs and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-adjacent test projects.

Military career

Following Naval Flight Officer training, Johnson served in fleet assignments with Carrier Air Wing squadrons aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and USS Enterprise (CVN-65), flying tactical missions in F-14 Tomcat aircraft and participating in operations linked to Cold War-era deployments and Gulf of Tonkin-era Pacific patrols. Selected for the United States Navy Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, he became a project test pilot with the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate and contributed to developmental trials for the F/A-18 Hornet and F-14D Tomcat modernization efforts. Johnson served as a naval aviation engineering officer with Patuxent River commands and was involved in Carrier Strike Group readiness and Naval Air Systems Command test planning prior to his NASA selection.

NASA career

Johnson was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1996 during a class that included mission specialists and pilots destined for International Space Station assembly and Space Shuttle flights. He completed training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas and worked in support roles within the Astronaut Office such as Shuttle flight software, crew equipment, and mission integration with Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center teams for Hubble Space Telescope operations. As support crew and CAPCOM, Johnson coordinated with Mission Control Center personnel and contributed to contingency planning with United States Geological Survey-related calibration teams and European Space Agency counterparts for servicing datasets.

Spaceflight missions

Johnson served as the pilot on STS-125, the fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Launched aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) in May 2009, the mission included crew members such as Scott Altman, Michael Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel, John Grunsfeld, Mike Good, Kathryn Thornton, and Alyssa Carson-adjacent public outreach liaisons. STS-125 delivered new instruments including the Wide Field Camera 3 and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, replaced gyroscopes and batteries, and performed complex extravehicular activities coordinated with Spacewalk procedures and Extravehicular Mobility Unit operations. The mission ensured extended lifetime and scientific productivity for the Hubble Space Telescope, enabling continued observations used by teams at Space Telescope Science Institute and international partners like European Space Agency astronomy programs.

Later career and post-NASA activities

After returning from STS-125, Johnson transitioned to roles bridging aerospace industry and research institutions, engaging with organizations such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman on crewed vehicle development and test programs. He participated in advisory capacities for NASA Advisory Council panels, contributed to Aerospace Corporation workshops on human spaceflight risk, and lectured at institutions including the United States Naval Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University on flight test and spacecraft operations. Johnson also collaborated with non-profit groups such as the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and supported public science outreach through appearances at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the American Astronautical Society.

Personal life

Johnson is married and has family ties in Beaumont, Texas and Bossier City, Louisiana. He is a member of professional organizations including the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the Association of Spaceflight Professionals, and has received honors such as the Legion of Merit (United States), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and NASA commendations recognizing his contributions to the Hubble Space Telescope program and Space Shuttle operations. He continues to support STEM outreach through partnerships with the National Science Teaching Association and regional museums.

Category:American astronauts Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:People from Bossier City, Louisiana