Steven A. Hawley

Steven A. Hawley Steven A. Hawley is an American physicist and former NASA astronaut known for multiple Space Shuttle missions and contributions to astronomical observations and remote sensing. He flew on five shuttle flights associated with missions involving the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and satellite deployment and retrieval operations, and later served in leadership roles within NASA and academic institutions.

Early life and education

Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Hawley grew up near University of Kansas and attended local schools before earning a Bachelor of Arts in physics and astronomy from the University of Kansas, where he worked with faculty associated with the Kitt Peak National Observatory and engaged with programs tied to the National Science Foundation and American Astronomical Society. He then pursued graduate studies at Stanford University, completing a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics after research involving instrumentation and observations connected to projects at Mount Wilson Observatory, Palomar Observatory, and collaborations with scientists from California Institute of Technology and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. During his academic career he interacted with professionals from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Military and astronaut career

Hawley commissioned into the United States Air Force where he received flight training at bases associated with the Air Force Flight Test Center and trained alongside pilots connected to programs at Edwards Air Force Base and Vandenberg Air Force Base. Selected by NASA in the astronaut group of 1978, he underwent training at Johnson Space Center and worked in mission development with engineers from Rockwell International, Boeing, and teams supporting the Space Shuttle program and Mission Control Center. His service included operations coordination with personnel from the Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and international partners such as the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency.

Spaceflights and mission highlights

Hawley served as pilot and mission specialist on five Space Shuttle flights: early roles supporting payload operations for missions linked to the Hubble Space Telescope, deployment of the ANIK-class communications satellites, and work on science platforms like the Astro observatory hardware; he was also involved in flights that deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and retrieved experiments from the Long Duration Exposure Facility. His missions required coordination with crews including members from the United States Navy, United States Air Force, and international astronauts from European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency contingents, and entailed operations involving the Canadarm robotic manipulator and rendezvous maneuvers with satellites inserted by the Inertial Upper Stage. Notable mission highlights included in-orbit telescope work connected to the Space Telescope Science Institute and science investigations tied to the National Space Science Data Center, with on-orbit tasks supported by flight controllers at the Mission Control Center and logistics teams at the Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center.

NASA roles and post-flight activities

After his flights, Hawley served in management and technical roles at NASA including assignments at the Johnson Space Center in flight crew operations and as a liaison to programs managed at the Marshall Space Flight Center and Kennedy Space Center. He participated in outreach and academic collaboration with institutions such as the University of Kansas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and the Space Telescope Science Institute, and contributed to advisory panels involving the National Research Council and committees advising the Office of Science and Technology Policy and international partners like the European Space Agency. Post-NASA, he engaged in public speaking with organizations including the American Astronomical Society, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and university lecture series tied to the Smithsonian Institution and regional science museums.

Personal life and honors

Hawley has been recognized with honors such as the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and awards from academic societies including the American Astronomical Society and the Royal Astronomical Society; he also received commendations from state institutions and alumni associations at the University of Kansas and Stanford University. His personal activities include participation in community science initiatives associated with the Adler Planetarium, regional observatories like Kitt Peak National Observatory and Mount Graham International Observatory, and engagement with veteran and aerospace organizations including the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and veterans' groups connected to the United States Air Force.

Category:American astronauts Category:University of Kansas alumni Category:Stanford University alumni Category:People from Lawrence, Kansas