David Leestma
Encyclopedia
David Cornell Leestma is a former American
astronaut
.
. Married to the former Patti K. Opp of Dallas, Texas
. They have six children. He enjoys golf
ing, tennis
, aviation
, and fishing
. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Harold F. Leestma, reside in Palm Desert, California
. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Opp, reside in New Braunfels, Texas
.
, in 1967; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Naval Academy
in 1971, and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
in 1972.
(AIAA); Life Member, Association of Naval Aviation.
in Long Beach, California, before reporting in January 1972 to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
. He completed flight training and received his wings in October 1973. He was assigned to VF-124 in San Diego, California
, for initial flight training in the F-14A Tomcat
and then transferred to VF-32 in June 1974 and was stationed at Virginia Beach, Virginia
. Leestma made three overseas deployments to the Mediterranean/North Atlantic areas while flying aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
. In 1977, he was reassigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four (VX-4) at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. As an operational test director with the F-14A, he conducted the first operational testing of new tactical software for the F-14 and completed the follow-on test and evaluation of new F-14A avionics, including the programmable signal processor. He also served as fleet model manager for the F-14A tactical manual. He has logged over 3,500 hours of flight time, including nearly 1,500 hours in the F-14A.
Leestma retired from the Navy as a captain.
.
A veteran of three space flights, Leestma has logged a total of 532.7 hours in space. He was a mission specialist on STS-41G (October 5–13, 1984), STS-28 (August 8–13, 1989), and STS-45 (March 24 to April 2, 1992).
Leestma is now the Assistant Program Manager for the Orbital Space Plane
project at Johnson Space Center.
, Florida, on October 5, 1984. It was the sixth flight of the Orbiter Challenger
and the thirteenth flight of the Space Shuttle system. The seven-person crew also included two payload specialists: one from Canada
, and one a Navy oceanographer. During the mission the crew deployed the ERBS satellite using the remote manipulator system (RMS), operated the OSTA-3 payload (including the SIR-B radar, FILE, and MAPS experiments) and the Large Format Camera (LFC), conducted a satellite refueling demonstration using hydrazine fuel with the Orbital Refueling System (ORS), and conducted numerous in-cabin experiments as well as activating eight "Getaway Special" canisters. Dave Leestma and Kathryn Sullivan
successfully conducted a 3½ hour extravehicular activity (EVA) to demonstrate the feasibility of actual satellite refueling.
STS-28 Columbia, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 8, 1989. The mission carried Department of Defense payloads and a number of secondary payloads. After 80 orbits of the Earth, this five-day mission concluded with a lakebed landing on Runway 17 at Edwards Air Force Base
, California, on August 13, 1989.
STS-45 Atlantis, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on March 24, 1992. During the nine-day mission the crew operated the twelve experiments that constituted the ATLAS-1 (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science) cargo. ATLAS-1 obtained a vast array of detailed measurements of atmospheric, chemical and physical properties, which will contribute significantly to improving our understanding of our climate and atmosphere. STS-45 landed on April 2, 1992 on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center
, Florida, after completing 142 orbits of the Earth.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
.
Personal data
Born May 6, 1949, in Muskegon, MichiganMuskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. Married to the former Patti K. Opp of Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. They have six children. He enjoys golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
ing, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Harold F. Leestma, reside in Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Opp, reside in New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
.
Education
Graduated from Tustin High School, Tustin, CaliforniaTustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
, in 1967; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1971, and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
in 1972.
Organizations
Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and AstronauticsAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is the professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA was founded in 1963 from the merger of two earlier societies: the American Rocket Society , founded in 1930 as the American Interplanetary Society , and the Institute...
(AIAA); Life Member, Association of Naval Aviation.
Special honors
The Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation (VX-4), National Defense Service Medal, Battle "E" Award (VF-32), the Rear Admiral Thurston James Award (1973), the NASA Space Flight Medal (1984, 1989, 1992), the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1985, 1988, 1991, 1992), and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1993, 1994). He was awarded the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive in 1998 and again in 2004.Experience
Leestma was graduated first in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971. As a first lieutenant afloat, he was assigned to USS Hepburn (FF-1055)USS Hepburn (FF-1055)
The USS Hepburn was a United States Navy Knox class frigate named for Arthur Japy Hepburn. She was laid down 1 June 1966, by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California; and launched 25 March 1967; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur J. Hepburn and Mrs. Lorraine Hepburn Barse. She was...
in Long Beach, California, before reporting in January 1972 to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
. He completed flight training and received his wings in October 1973. He was assigned to VF-124 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, for initial flight training in the F-14A Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
and then transferred to VF-32 in June 1974 and was stationed at Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
. Leestma made three overseas deployments to the Mediterranean/North Atlantic areas while flying aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
. In 1977, he was reassigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four (VX-4) at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. As an operational test director with the F-14A, he conducted the first operational testing of new tactical software for the F-14 and completed the follow-on test and evaluation of new F-14A avionics, including the programmable signal processor. He also served as fleet model manager for the F-14A tactical manual. He has logged over 3,500 hours of flight time, including nearly 1,500 hours in the F-14A.
Leestma retired from the Navy as a captain.
NASA experience
He was selected to become an astronaut in 1980. Following his first flight, Leestma served as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for STS-51C through STS-61A. He was then assigned as the Chief, Mission Development Branch, responsible for assessing the operational integration requirements of payloads that will fly aboard the Shuttle. From February 1990 to September 1991, when he started training for his third space mission, Leestma served as Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations. Following this flight, he served as Deputy Chief and acting Chief of the Astronaut Office. Leestma was selected as the Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate, in November 1992. As Director, FCOD, he had overall responsibility for the Astronaut Office and for JSC Aircraft Operations. During his tenure as Director, 41 Shuttle flights and 7 Mir missions were successfully flown. He was responsible for the selection of Astronaut Groups 15, 16 and 17. While director, he oversaw the requirements, development modifications of the T-38A transition to the T-38N avionics upgrades. In September 1998, Leestma was reassigned as the Deputy Director, Engineering, in charge of the management of Johnson Space Center Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Projects. In August 2001 he was assigned as the JSC Project Manager for the Space Launch Initiative, responsible for all JSC work related to the development of the new launch system. Leestma is currently serving as the Assistant Program Manager for the Orbital Space Plane, responsible for the vehicle systems and operations of the new crewed vehicle that is to serve as the transfer vehicle for space flight crews to and from the International Space StationInternational Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
.
A veteran of three space flights, Leestma has logged a total of 532.7 hours in space. He was a mission specialist on STS-41G (October 5–13, 1984), STS-28 (August 8–13, 1989), and STS-45 (March 24 to April 2, 1992).
Leestma is now the Assistant Program Manager for the Orbital Space Plane
Orbital Space Plane
The Orbital Space Plane program was a NASA concept designed to support the International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, crew transport and contingency cargo such as supplies, food and other needed equipment...
project at Johnson Space Center.
Space flight experience
STS-41G Challenger, launched from Kennedy Space CenterKennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Florida, on October 5, 1984. It was the sixth flight of the Orbiter Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
and the thirteenth flight of the Space Shuttle system. The seven-person crew also included two payload specialists: one from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and one a Navy oceanographer. During the mission the crew deployed the ERBS satellite using the remote manipulator system (RMS), operated the OSTA-3 payload (including the SIR-B radar, FILE, and MAPS experiments) and the Large Format Camera (LFC), conducted a satellite refueling demonstration using hydrazine fuel with the Orbital Refueling System (ORS), and conducted numerous in-cabin experiments as well as activating eight "Getaway Special" canisters. Dave Leestma and Kathryn Sullivan
Kathryn D. Sullivan
Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan is an American geologist and a former NASA astronaut. A crew member on three Space Shuttle missions, she is the first American woman to walk in space.-Education:...
successfully conducted a 3½ hour extravehicular activity (EVA) to demonstrate the feasibility of actual satellite refueling.
STS-28 Columbia, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 8, 1989. The mission carried Department of Defense payloads and a number of secondary payloads. After 80 orbits of the Earth, this five-day mission concluded with a lakebed landing on Runway 17 at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, California, on August 13, 1989.
STS-45 Atlantis, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on March 24, 1992. During the nine-day mission the crew operated the twelve experiments that constituted the ATLAS-1 (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science) cargo. ATLAS-1 obtained a vast array of detailed measurements of atmospheric, chemical and physical properties, which will contribute significantly to improving our understanding of our climate and atmosphere. STS-45 landed on April 2, 1992 on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Florida, after completing 142 orbits of the Earth.