Garrett Reisman
Encyclopedia
Garrett Erin Reisman is an American
engineer
and former NASA
astronaut
. He was a backup crew member for Expedition 15
and joined Expedition 16
aboard the International Space Station
for a short time before becoming a member of Expedition 17
. He returned to Earth 14 June 2008 on board STS-124
on Space Shuttle Discovery
. He was a member of the STS-132
mission that traveled to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis
from May 14 to 26, 2010.
and is a 1986 graduate of Parsippany High School
, a 1991 graduate of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology
at the University of Pennsylvania
, and received his Masters and Doctorate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology
in 1992 and 1997, respectively.
during the NEEMO 5 mission aboard the Aquarius
underwater laboratory
, living and working underwater for fourteen days.
Reisman was assigned as a long duration crewmember on the International Space Station
. He launched as Mission Specialist
5 aboard the STS-123
Space Shuttle mission on March 11, 2008. After docking he stayed onboard as Flight Engineer 2 for part of Expedition 16 and part of Expedition 17. Having completed his mission, he returned to Earth as Mission Specialist 5 aboard STS-124
on June 14, 2008. During his time onboard the ISS he had seen two visiting Space Shuttles and the installation of the Special Purpose Dextrious Manipulator (SPDM) and the pressurized section of the Japanese Experiment Module
"Kibo".
Reisman was the first Jewish crew member on the International Space Station. He sent a greeting from space to the people of Israel during the celebration of Israel's 60th Independence Day in May 2008. He also did an entertaining, high definition video of 'A day in the life of a space station crew member' while on board as well as demonstrating in the large, and at the time empty, Kibo section, that humans cannot 'swim' in the micro gravity of orbital space.
He was a member of the STS-132
mission that travelled to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis
from May 14 to 26, 2010.
announced that Reisman would be joining the company as a senior engineer working on astronaut safety and mission assurance.
with the WristStrong bracelet he had worn while in space.
Reisman filmed a cameo appearance as a Colonial Marine for the series finale episode
of Battlestar Galactica
. Space.com
reported that his scene, in which "someone throws up on him and then he dies", might not be in the final edit of the episode which aired March 20, 2009.
In the podcast for the final (as aired) episode, producer Ron Moore confirmed that one of the people seen in the background of a scene where a Raptor
arms its nuclear payload (shortly before being destroyed) was Reisman.
Reisman was a childhood classmate of actress Jane Krakowski
. In May, 2010, Krakowski said on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
that she and Reisman exchanged e-mails while he was in space on Space Shuttle Atlantis
. At the request of the crew, many of whom were 30 Rock
fans, Krakowski provided an autographed script of the show which was brought into space.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and former NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
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....
. He was a backup crew member for Expedition 15
Expedition 15
Expedition 15 was the 15th expedition to the International Space Station . Four crew members participated in the expedition, although for most of the expedition's duration only three were on the station at any one time...
and joined Expedition 16
Expedition 16
Expedition 16 was the 16th expedition to the International Space Station .The first two crew members, Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson, launched on 10 October 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-11, and were joined by spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the first Malaysian in space.Expedition 15...
aboard the International Space Station
International 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...
for a short time before becoming a member of Expedition 17
Expedition 17
Expedition 17 was the 17th expedition to the International Space Station .The first two crew members, Sergey Volkov, and Oleg Kononenko were launched on 8 April 2008, aboard the Soyuz TMA-12...
. He returned to Earth 14 June 2008 on board STS-124
STS-124
STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008, and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15...
on Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
. He was a member of the STS-132
STS-132
STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated...
mission that traveled to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
from May 14 to 26, 2010.
Early life
Reisman was born in Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
and is a 1986 graduate of Parsippany High School
Parsippany High School
Parsippany High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school, one of two high schools in the township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, as part of the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District. The school serves students in grades 9-12 who live in the eastern half of Parsippany-Troy Hills...
, a 1991 graduate of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology
Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology
The Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology is a joint-degree program offered at the University of Pennsylvania for undergraduates.-About the program:...
at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, and received his Masters and Doctorate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in 1992 and 1997, respectively.
NASA career
In June 2003, Reisman served as an aquanautAquanaut
An Aquanaut is any individual who remains underwater, exposed to the ambient pressure, long enough to come into equilibrium with his or her breathing media. Usually this is done in an underwater habitat on the seafloor for a period equal to or greater than 24 continuous hours without returning to...
during the NEEMO 5 mission aboard the Aquarius
Aquarius (laboratory)
The NOAA Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, adjacent to Conch Reef. It is one of the few underwater research facilities in the world dedicated to science...
underwater laboratory
Underwater habitat
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping...
, living and working underwater for fourteen days.
Reisman was assigned as a long duration crewmember on the International Space Station
International 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...
. He launched as Mission Specialist
Mission Specialist
A Mission Specialist is a position held by certain NASA astronauts during Space Shuttle missions. A Mission Specialist is assigned to a limited field of the mission, such as for medical experiments or technical quests....
5 aboard the STS-123
STS-123
-Mission parameters:* Mass:* Orbiter liftoff: * Orbiter landing: * Perigee: 336 kilometers * Apogee: 346 kilometers * Inclination: 51.6 degrees* Period: 91.6min-Mission payloads:...
Space Shuttle mission on March 11, 2008. After docking he stayed onboard as Flight Engineer 2 for part of Expedition 16 and part of Expedition 17. Having completed his mission, he returned to Earth as Mission Specialist 5 aboard STS-124
STS-124
STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008, and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15...
on June 14, 2008. During his time onboard the ISS he had seen two visiting Space Shuttles and the installation of the Special Purpose Dextrious Manipulator (SPDM) and the pressurized section of the Japanese Experiment Module
Japanese Experiment Module
The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124...
"Kibo".
Reisman was the first Jewish crew member on the International Space Station. He sent a greeting from space to the people of Israel during the celebration of Israel's 60th Independence Day in May 2008. He also did an entertaining, high definition video of 'A day in the life of a space station crew member' while on board as well as demonstrating in the large, and at the time empty, Kibo section, that humans cannot 'swim' in the micro gravity of orbital space.
He was a member of the STS-132
STS-132
STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated...
mission that travelled to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
from May 14 to 26, 2010.
Post-NASA career
On March 4, 2011, SpaceXSpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or more popularly and informally known as SpaceX, is an American space transport company that operates out of Hawthorne, California...
announced that Reisman would be joining the company as a senior engineer working on astronaut safety and mission assurance.
In popular culture
A self-proclaimed member of the "Colbert Universe", Reisman was interviewed live from space on the May 8, 2008 episode of The Colbert Report after being seen wearing a "WristStrong" bracelet. On July 24, 2008, after returning to Earth, Reisman appeared in person on The Colbert Report as that night's featured guest. Reisman presented Stephen ColbertStephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
with the WristStrong bracelet he had worn while in space.
Reisman filmed a cameo appearance as a Colonial Marine for the series finale episode
Daybreak (Battlestar Galactica)
"Daybreak" is the two-part series finale of the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica, and are the 74th and 75th episodes overall. The episodes aired on the U.S. Sci Fi Channel and SPACE in Canada respectively on March 13 and March 20, 2009. The second part is...
of Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
. Space.com
Space.com
Space.com is a space and astronomy news website. Its stories are often syndicated to other media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo!, and USA Today.Space.com was founded by former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs and Rich Zahradnik, in July 1999...
reported that his scene, in which "someone throws up on him and then he dies", might not be in the final edit of the episode which aired March 20, 2009.
In the podcast for the final (as aired) episode, producer Ron Moore confirmed that one of the people seen in the background of a scene where a Raptor
Colonial Raptor
The Raptor is a multipurpose military spacecraft featured in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. According to producer Ronald D. Moore, the Raptor is analogous to the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowler.-Description:...
arms its nuclear payload (shortly before being destroyed) was Reisman.
Reisman was a childhood classmate of actress Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
. In May, 2010, Krakowski said on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
that she and Reisman exchanged e-mails while he was in space on Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
. At the request of the crew, many of whom were 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
fans, Krakowski provided an autographed script of the show which was brought into space.