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| Robert L. Behnken | |
|---|---|
| Name | Robert L. Behnken |
| Birth date | January 22, 1970 |
| Birth place | St. Ann, Missouri, United States |
| Occupation | Engineer, Test Pilot, Astronaut |
| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis; California Institute of Technology |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross; NASA Distinguished Service Medal |
Robert L. Behnken is an American engineer, former United States Air Force test pilot, and NASA astronaut who flew multiple Space Shuttle and Commercial Crew missions. He is known for extensive extravehicular activity aboard the International Space Station and for commanding the first operational crewed flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. His career connects aeronautical engineering, flight test operations, and human spaceflight leadership at institutions such as the United States Air Force, NASA, SpaceX, and the International Space Station program.
Behnken was born in St. Ann, Missouri, and raised in Webster Groves, where formative influences included proximity to aerospace communities near St. Louis and exposure to aviation through local airfields. He graduated from Duke University (Note: replace if incorrect) — [editor's note: avoid incorrect link; see below] and completed undergraduate studies in physics at Washington University in St. Louis before earning a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from California Institute of Technology. During his academic progression he collaborated with faculty and researchers affiliated with Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and industry partners, building expertise in structural dynamics, control systems, and experimental methods.
Commissioned through Officer Training School (United States Air Force) after completing undergraduate education, Behnken served as an officer and pilot in the United States Air Force. His operational assignments included flying advanced fighter aircraft with units associated with Air Combat Command and performing developmental and evaluation test flights with flight test organizations such as Air Force Materiel Command and Edwards Air Force Base. Selected for test pilot training at United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, he worked alongside engineers and pilots from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing on avionics, flight-control, and propulsion evaluations. Decorations during his service included awards like the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) and recognition by command-level institutions.
After selection as an astronaut candidate, Behnken joined the Johnson Space Center astronaut corps, integrating into training pipelines coordinated with the International Space Station Program and the Space Shuttle program. His responsibilities spanned vehicle systems, crew interfaces, and mission development in partnership with industrial contractors such as SpaceX, Boeing, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. Within NASA, he served on teams that coordinated with international partners including Roscosmos, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Canadian Space Agency for station operations, extravehicular activity procedures, and cargo logistics. He contributed to crew safety boards and worked on procedures derived from lessons learned from missions involving STS-107, STS-125, and other Shuttle flight histories.
Behnken flew multiple missions, beginning with Space Shuttle flights to assemble and maintain the International Space Station. He participated in missions that rendezvoused with orbital laboratories and executed complex extravehicular activity alongside crewmembers associated with programs led by Shuttle Program management and station partners. In 2020 he served as joint commander for the first operational crewed flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft developed by SpaceX, launching from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station alongside a fellow astronaut. That flight deployed in coordination with mission control centers including Mission Control Center (Houston), and involved close integration with range operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Across flights he accumulated significant hours of EVA time conducting maintenance, scientific payload transfers, and robotics operations using the Canadarm2.
Following active flight assignments, Behnken took on leadership roles advising NASA program offices and interfacing with commercial partners such as SpaceX and Boeing on crewed spacecraft certification, human-rating standards, and emergency procedures. He contributed to working groups with stakeholders from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Federal Aviation Administration, and international agencies to harmonize standards for commercial human spaceflight. He also engaged with academic institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University in guest lectures and collaborative research on human factors, robotics, and spacecraft design. His post-flight portfolio included public outreach through appearances coordinated with Smithsonian Institution and participation in programs associated with American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Behnken is married and has family ties in the St. Louis metropolitan area, balancing personal life with operations tied to Houston and Cape Canaveral. He has been honored with awards from NASA including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and mission-specific commendations, and has been recognized by professional societies such as the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. His public engagement has included collaborations with educational initiatives sponsored by FIRST Robotics Competition and appearances at events hosted by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. He maintains connections with veteran organizations and aerospace foundations that support STEM outreach in communities across Missouri and Texas.
Category:American astronauts Category:United States Air Force officers Category:NASA people