Scott D. Altman

Scott D. Altman Scott D. Altman is an American naval officer, aviator, test pilot, and former NASA astronaut notable for commanding multiple Space Shuttle missions and serving in United States Navy aviation and test programs. He flew on three Space Shuttle flights and contributed to missions related to biomedical research, International Space Station, and orbital servicing, participating in operations involving Space Shuttle Columbia, Space Shuttle Atlantis, and Space Shuttle Endeavour. Altman’s career connects to institutions such as the United States Naval Academy, Naval Air Systems Command, and Johnson Space Center.

Early life and education

Altman was born in Lincoln, Illinois, and raised in Gibson City, Illinois and Lincoln, Illinois, attending local schools before entering the United States Naval Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned into the United States Navy. He later attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School and completed graduate studies at Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program while interacting with programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University through professional development exchanges. During his formative years he engaged with organizations such as Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scouts of America, and local aviation clubs that have historical links to aviators like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

Naval aviation and military career

Altman served as a naval aviator flying the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and later the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, deploying aboard carriers including USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), USS America (CV-66), and USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He completed assignments with squadrons connected to commanders and leaders in naval aviation such as William Halsey Jr. and operations during periods that reference doctrines from Admiral Arleigh Burke and organizational practices from Naval Air Systems Command. As a test pilot at Naval Air Test Center he evaluated aircraft linked to programs involving Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin, and worked alongside figures affiliated with Edwards Air Force Base test operations and programs named after pioneers like Chuck Yeager. Altman rose to the rank of captain and was involved in carrier tasking and readiness discussions related to strategic decisions influenced by events such as the post-Cold War realignments following the Gulf War.

NASA career and spaceflights

Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1994 with peers from the same NASA Astronaut Group 15, Altman trained at Johnson Space Center for roles as pilot and commander on Space Shuttle missions supporting scientific and assembly objectives. He served as pilot on STS-90 with Space Shuttle Columbia which carried experiments connected to researchers at National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and universities such as University of California, San Diego and Massachusetts General Hospital studying neurological and physiological effects related to long-duration flight. Altman commanded STS-106 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for International Space Station logistics operations coordinated with Roscosmos, Boeing, and Energia-derived modules, working closely with crew members from Expedition 2 and hardware teams from Roskosmos and European Space Agency. He later commanded STS-109 on Space Shuttle Columbia, the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission that involved extravehicular activity teams trained with personnel from European Space Agency, Ball Aerospace, and Space Telescope Science Institute. Throughout his NASA tenure he collaborated with mission directors and flight controllers from Mission Control Center and flight surgeons connected to Johnson Space Center medical operations.

Post-NASA activities and later career

After retiring from active astronaut flight status, Altman transitioned to roles in aerospace industry and consulting, advising companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman on human spaceflight systems and crewed vehicle operations. He participated in public outreach and served on advisory panels with institutions including National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Smithsonian Institution, and academic centers like Stanford University aerospace laboratories, contributing to discussions influenced by reports from National Research Council and strategic reviews by the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy. Altman has lectured at military and civilian forums associated with United States Naval Academy, United States Naval Test Pilot School, and conferences hosted by organizations such as Aerospace Industries Association.

Awards, honors, and recognition

Altman’s decorations include awards from the Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Superior Service Medal, and unit commendations linked to carrier deployments recognized by Secretary of the Navy citations, alongside NASA recognitions such as the NASA Space Flight Medal and group honors related to Hubble Space Telescope servicing teams. He has been honored by hometown institutions including the Lincoln (Illinois) High School hall of fame and received commendations from professional bodies like the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and alumni awards from the United States Naval Academy. Altman’s contributions are recorded in collections at repositories such as the National Air and Space Museum and archives maintained by Johnson Space Center.

Category:American astronauts Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:People from Lincoln, Illinois