Rick Husband

Rick Husband was a NASA astronaut and a United States Air Force colonel who flew on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-96 and STS-107. He was the commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia when it disintegrated during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members on board, including Michael P. Anderson, Ilan Ramon, Kalpana Chawla, David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and William C. McCool. Husband's career was marked by his service in the United States Air Force and his work as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base. He was also a graduate of Texas Tech University and California State University, Fresno.

● Early Life and Education

Rick Husband was born on July 12, 1957, in Amarillo, Texas, to Evelyn Husband and Douglas Husband. He grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and developed an interest in space exploration and aviation at a young age, inspired by the Apollo 11 mission and the work of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Husband attended Amarillo High School and later enrolled in Texas Tech University, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He also earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno, and was a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, where he trained alongside other notable test pilots, including Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.

● Career

Husband's career in the United States Air Force began in 1980, when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the F-4 Phantom II program at Luke Air Force Base. He later flew the F-15 Eagle at Moody Air Force Base and was a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, where he worked on the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon programs, alongside other notable test pilots, including Pete Knight and Joe Walker. In 1992, Husband was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA and began training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where he trained alongside other notable astronauts, including John Glenn and Sally Ride. He was assigned to the Space Shuttle program and flew on his first mission, STS-96, in 1999, which was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission that docked with the International Space Station and included crew members such as Kent Rominger and Tamara E. Jernigan.

● Spaceflight Experience

Husband's first spaceflight was on STS-96, which launched on May 27, 1999, and landed on June 6, 1999. The mission was a Space Shuttle Discovery flight that docked with the International Space Station and included a spacewalk by Tamara E. Jernigan and Daniel T. Barry. Husband's second and final spaceflight was on STS-107, which launched on January 16, 2003, and ended in tragedy on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members on board, including Michael P. Anderson, Ilan Ramon, Kalpana Chawla, David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and William C. McCool. The accident was investigated by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which was led by Harold W. Gehman Jr. and included members such as Sally Ride and Steven A. Hawley.

● Personal Life

Husband was married to Evelyn Husband and had two children, Laura Husband and Matthew Husband. He was a Presbyterian and was active in his church, Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Amarillo, Texas. Husband was also a Boy Scout and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a fan of Texas Tech University sports and enjoyed golfing and flying in his free time, and was a member of the Amarillo Country Club and the Experimental Aircraft Association.

● Legacy

Rick Husband's legacy is remembered as a hero and a pioneer in space exploration. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for his service to NASA and the United States. The Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Amarillo, Texas, was named in his honor, as well as the Rick Husband High School in Amarillo, Texas. Husband's story has been featured in several books, including "Comm Check...": The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia by Michael Cabbage and William Harwood, and "The Columbia Disaster: A Review of the Accident and Its Aftermath" by Gerald M. Edelman. His legacy continues to inspire future generations of astronauts and engineers, including Chris Hadfield and Sunita Williams, and his contributions to the Space Shuttle program and the International Space Station will always be remembered. Category:Astronauts