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| Stephen G. Bowen | |
|---|---|
| Name | Stephen G. Bowen |
| Birth date | 1964-02-13 |
| Birth place | Cohasset, Massachusetts, United States |
| Occupation | Naval submariner, astronaut |
| Status | Active |
| Selection | 1998 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-126, STS-132, STS-133, SpaceX Crew-6 (note: do not format as link) |
Stephen G. Bowen is an American naval officer and NASA astronaut known for extensive work on International Space Station assembly and maintenance. He served as a United States Navy submariner before selection by National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1998 and has participated in multiple Space Shuttle and commercial crew missions. Bowen's career bridges operations aboard USS Alexandria (SSN-757), extravehicular activity at the International Space Station, and roles within Johnson Space Center mission operations.
Born in Cohasset, Massachusetts, Bowen completed secondary schooling in the New England region before attending the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He later pursued graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed professional military education at Naval Nuclear Power School and Submarine School. Bowen's early affiliations include the United States Naval Academy Class of 1986 and associations with alumni networks at MIT and veteran organizations connected to Navy Reserve Officers' Training Corps graduates.
Bowen served as an officer in the United States Navy submarine community, qualifying in submarines aboard units such as USS Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631)-class connectors and patrol assets contemporaneous with Los Angeles-class submarine operations. His naval career involved assignments to Submarine Force Atlantic and deployments in support of forward presence missions associated with United States Sixth Fleet and United States Seventh Fleet areas of responsibility. Bowen completed the rigorous curriculum at Naval Nuclear Power School and served in positions that linked to broader United States Strategic Command under the strategic deterrence architecture. He worked with maintenance organizations analogous to Naval Sea Systems Command and training establishments connected to Naval Submarine School.
Selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the 1998 astronaut class, Bowen reported to Johnson Space Center for training and evaluation. He qualified as a mission specialist and later held technical assignments intersecting with Mission Control Center, Houston flight operations, extravehicular activity planning with the Extravehicular Activity Office, and robotics work supporting Canadarm2 operations. Bowen served in roles coordinating with international partners such as representatives from European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Russian Federal Space Agency during International Space Station integration. He supported programs administered by NASA Headquarters and worked on elements tied to Space Shuttle payload and operations planning.
Bowen flew on multiple Space Shuttle missions, participating in assembly and logistics flights to the International Space Station. He served as a mission specialist on flights that included complex tasks involving Extravehicular activity, Orbiter Boom Sensor System support, and transfer of pressurized logistics modules. His shuttle missions interfaced with elements named after contributors to station architecture and partnered with crews from organizations such as European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. Bowen later participated in commercial crew operations under cooperative ventures involving SpaceX and Axiom Space-adjacent initiatives, operating systems linked to Dragon (spacecraft) and coordinating with Commercial Crew Program stakeholders. Across these flights, Bowen logged extensive hours conducting spacewalks to maintain International Space Station infrastructure, working alongside astronauts from Roscosmos and multinational expedition crews.
Throughout his career Bowen received recognitions from United States Navy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration-affiliated awards reflecting operational excellence. Honors include unit commendations tied to submarine deployments recognized by Navy Unit Commendation authorities and NASA performance awards linked to Silver Snoopy Award-type programs and mission achievement citations. He has been acknowledged by professional societies with connections to American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and veterans' groups that honor service members from the United States Naval Academy.
Bowen resides in the Houston area proximate to Johnson Space Center integration facilities and maintains ties to New England communities including Cohasset, Massachusetts and regional alumni associations at United States Naval Academy. He has participated in outreach with educational institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology student groups, K–12 STEM programs coordinated with NASA public engagement offices, and veterans support organizations affiliated with United States Navy and submarine community charities. Bowen's family connections include relatives in maritime professions and members associated with regional civic organizations in Massachusetts.
Category:American astronauts Category:United States Navy officers