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| Jerry L. Ross | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jerry L. Ross |
| Birth date | June 20, 1948 |
| Birth place | Crown Point, Indiana, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | United States Air Force officer; NASA astronaut; test pilot |
| Alma mater | Purdue University |
| Rank | Colonel, United States Air Force (retired) |
| Missions | STS-61-B, STS-27, STS-37, STS-55, STS-74, STS-88 |
| Space time | over 58 days |
| Eva time | record-setting cumulative spacewalk hours |
Jerry L. Ross is a retired United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut noted for a record number of spaceflights and extravehicular activities. He served as a mission specialist on six Space Shuttle missions and logged extensive time on orbit, contributing to satellite deployment, shuttle operations, and International Space Station assembly preparations. Ross's career intersects with major aerospace organizations, test programs, and international space efforts.
Ross was born in Crown Point, Indiana, and raised in Indiana communities before attending Purdue University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. While at Purdue he joined programs linked to Reserve Officers' Training Corps commissioning into the United States Air Force. His academic background connected him to engineering networks including American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society of Automotive Engineers, and contacts at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Edwards Air Force Base.
Ross served as a United States Air Force officer and pilot, flying tactical and test aircraft with assignments at bases associated with Aerospace Defense Command activities and Air Force Systems Command projects. He trained in flight test at institutions collaborating with Air Force Flight Test Center, contributing to evaluations alongside programs like the F-4 Phantom II testing community and interfaces with contractors such as McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed Corporation. His test piloting brought him into contact with personnel from NASA Johnson Space Center, Dryden Flight Research Center, and international aerospace programs including exchanges with European Space Agency engineers and NATO test groups.
Selected by NASA in a group that included applicants from United States Navy and United States Marine Corps backgrounds, Ross completed astronaut candidate training at Johnson Space Center that encompassed spacecraft operations, payload training, and survival training coordinated with Naval Air Station Pensacola and the U.S. Army aviation training establishments. His training involved simulation work with Shuttle flight crews linked to programs such as Space Shuttle Challenger operations, avionics familiarization with systems produced by Rockwell International, and coordination with mission control teams at Mission Control Center (Houston).
Ross flew on six Space Shuttle missions: STS-61-B, STS-27, STS-37, STS-55, STS-74, and STS-88. These missions interfaced with numerous entities and objectives, including deployment of satellites built by Hughes Aircraft Company, operations with the Department of Defense, and cooperative projects with international partners such as Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt researchers and payload specialists from Belgium and Germany. STS-61-B featured construction experiments related to the EASE/ACCESS studies and interaction with payloads like the Westar VI and Palapa B-2 satellites. STS-27 was a classified flight supporting Defense Support Program-related activities and collaboration with Air Force Space Command. STS-37 deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory instrument suite developed with teams at Los Alamos National Laboratory and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. STS-55 involved the Spacelab mission with multinational modules and scientists from institutions such as DLR and CNES. STS-74 delivered a docking module for the Mir space station, fostering ties with RKK Energia and Roscosmos counterparts. STS-88 performed the first U.S. segment assembly for the International Space Station, connecting with prime contractors including Boeing and United Space Alliance.
Ross conducted multiple extravehicular activities (EVAs) carrying out assembly, repair, and contingency tasks on Shuttle missions and during ISS assembly activities, working alongside crewmates from United Kingdom, Russia, Canada, and Japan. His cumulative EVA time set program records at the time, interacting with hardware manufactured by firms such as Northrop Grumman and Boeing. During spacewalks he used tools and procedures developed with input from Marshall Space Flight Center engineers and coordinated through Mission Control Center (Houston) and EVA training support at Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. His EVA work contributed to docking interface installation and retrieval tasks comparable to those on missions involving the Hubble Space Telescope servicing and Spacehab logistics.
Following active flight status, Ross worked in roles connecting NASA operations to industry and educational outreach, engaging with organizations like Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and academic partners including Purdue University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for guest lectures. He participated in advisory boards interfacing with National Aeronautics and Space Administration programs, contract discussions with firms such as Sierra Nevada Corporation and Aerojet Rocketdyne, and outreach collaborations with museums like the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Purdue University Aviation Technology Center. Ross's later activities included speaking at events hosted by American Astronautical Society and consulting on archival projects with NASA History Program Office.
Ross has ties to veteran and aviation communities including associations with Veterans of Foreign Wars, Air Force Association, and regional Indiana organizations. He has participated in ceremonies with political figures from Indiana delegations to celebrate aerospace milestones and has been recognized by institutions such as Purdue University and state-level boards. Ross's personal interests have led to engagements with youth STEM programs sponsored by National Science Teachers Association partners and collaborations with nonprofit groups like Boy Scouts of America on merit badge events.
Category:American astronauts Category:United States Air Force officers Category:Purdue University alumni