Leland D. Melvin
Encyclopedia
Leland Devon Melvin is an American
engineer and a NASA
astronaut
. He served on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis
as a mission specialist on STS-122
, and as mission specialist 1 on STS-129
. Melvin was named the NASA Associate Administrator for Education in October 2010.
Melvin attended the Heritage High School
and then went on to the University of Richmond
on a football scholarship, where he received a bachelor's degree in Chemistry. In 1991 he received a Master of Science
degree in Materials Science Engineering, from the University of Virginia
. His parents, Deems and Grace Melvin, reside in Lynchburg, Virginia. His recreational interests include photography, piano, reading, music, cycling, tennis, and snowboarding. Melvin recently appeared as an elimination challenge guest judge in the 12th episode of Top Chef (season 7)
and with his dogs in the 7th season of the The Dog Whisperer.
football team from 1982-85. Melvin is first on University of Richmond's career lists with 198 receptions for 2669 yards (2,440.5 m), and fourth on Richmond's career touchdown receptions list with 16. He was an AP honorable mention All-America selection in 1984 and 1985 and second team Apple Academic All-America in 1985. A team captain during his senior season, Melvin had his best year in 1985, with 65 catches for 956 yards (874.2 m) and eight TDs. His top game was in 1984 against James Madison University
, when he had 10 catches for 208 yards (190.2 m) and one touchdown. Melvin caught at least one pass in every game he played as a Richmond Spider
(39). He was inducted into the University of Richmond
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Class of 1996-97 and selected for the All-UR Stadium
Team in 2009, which commemorates the greatest Spiders to have played at the stadium in its 81 year history.
Melvin was chosen by the Detroit Lions
in the 11th round of the 1986 NFL Draft
, as a wide receiver
. During training camp, he pulled his hamstring and was released from the team. He reported to the Dallas Cowboys
the following spring but pulled his hamstring a second time, officially ending his professional football career. He also participated in the Toronto Argonauts
football training camp.
Langley Research Center in 1989. His responsibilities included using optical fiber sensors to measure strain, temperature, and chemical damage in both composite and metallic structures. In 1994, he was selected to lead the Vehicle Health Monitoring team for the cooperative Lockheed/NASA X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle program. In 1996, he co-designed and monitored construction of an optical NDE facility capable of producing in-line fiber optic sensors.
Selected as an astronaut
in June 1998, Melvin reported for training in August 1998. He has since been assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch, and the Education Department at NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
As co-manager of NASA's Educator Astronaut Program, Leland Melvin has traveled across the country, discussing space exploration
with teachers and students, and promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He next served in the Robotics Branch of the Astronaut Office.
Melvin flew two missions on the Space Shuttle Atlantis
: as a mission specialist on STS-122
(February 7–20, 2008), and as mission specialist 1 on STS-129
(November 16–27, 2009).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer and a 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 served on board the 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...
as a mission specialist on STS-122
STS-122
STS-122 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station , flown by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. STS-122 marked the 24th shuttle mission to the ISS, and the 121st space shuttle flight since STS-1....
, and as mission specialist 1 on STS-129
STS-129
-Crew seat assignments:-Mission payload:-ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 and 2:The primary payload of STS-129 was the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier and the ELC-2. The mass capacity of each ELC is with a volume of 30 meters cubed...
. Melvin was named the NASA Associate Administrator for Education in October 2010.
Melvin attended the Heritage High School
Heritage High School (Lynchburg, Virginia)
Heritage High School is a public high school located in Lynchburg, Virginia.The school is a part of Lynchburg City Public Schools District. Mark Miear is the head principal . Heritage has enrollment of 1102 as of 2011...
and then went on to the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
on a football scholarship, where he received a bachelor's degree in Chemistry. In 1991 he received a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in Materials Science Engineering, from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. His parents, Deems and Grace Melvin, reside in Lynchburg, Virginia. His recreational interests include photography, piano, reading, music, cycling, tennis, and snowboarding. Melvin recently appeared as an elimination challenge guest judge in the 12th episode of Top Chef (season 7)
Top Chef (season 7)
Top Chef: D.C. is the seventh season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Washington, D.C. and concluded in Singapore...
and with his dogs in the 7th season of the The Dog Whisperer.
Football career
Leland Melvin was a wide receiver on the University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
football team from 1982-85. Melvin is first on University of Richmond's career lists with 198 receptions for 2669 yards (2,440.5 m), and fourth on Richmond's career touchdown receptions list with 16. He was an AP honorable mention All-America selection in 1984 and 1985 and second team Apple Academic All-America in 1985. A team captain during his senior season, Melvin had his best year in 1985, with 65 catches for 956 yards (874.2 m) and eight TDs. His top game was in 1984 against James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
, when he had 10 catches for 208 yards (190.2 m) and one touchdown. Melvin caught at least one pass in every game he played as a Richmond Spider
Richmond Spiders
The Richmond Spiders represent the University of Richmond, a member of the NCAA's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association....
(39). He was inducted into the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Class of 1996-97 and selected for the All-UR Stadium
University of Richmond Stadium
City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia is used by the Richmond Kickers for soccer and was used by the University of Richmond for American football from 1929-2009. It is owned by the City of Richmond and is located south of the Carytown district off the Downtown Expressway. The stadium was built in 1929...
Team in 2009, which commemorates the greatest Spiders to have played at the stadium in its 81 year history.
Melvin was chosen by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the 11th round of the 1986 NFL Draft
1986 NFL Draft
The 1986 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1986...
, as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. During training camp, he pulled his hamstring and was released from the team. He reported to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
the following spring but pulled his hamstring a second time, officially ending his professional football career. He also participated in the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
football training camp.
NASA career
Melvin began working in Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch at NASANASA
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...
Langley Research Center in 1989. His responsibilities included using optical fiber sensors to measure strain, temperature, and chemical damage in both composite and metallic structures. In 1994, he was selected to lead the Vehicle Health Monitoring team for the cooperative Lockheed/NASA X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle program. In 1996, he co-designed and monitored construction of an optical NDE facility capable of producing in-line fiber optic sensors.
Selected as an 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....
in June 1998, Melvin reported for training in August 1998. He has since been assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch, and the Education Department at NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
As co-manager of NASA's Educator Astronaut Program, Leland Melvin has traveled across the country, discussing space exploration
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
with teachers and students, and promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He next served in the Robotics Branch of the Astronaut Office.
Melvin flew two missions on the 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...
: as a mission specialist on STS-122
STS-122
STS-122 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station , flown by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. STS-122 marked the 24th shuttle mission to the ISS, and the 121st space shuttle flight since STS-1....
(February 7–20, 2008), and as mission specialist 1 on STS-129
STS-129
-Crew seat assignments:-Mission payload:-ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 and 2:The primary payload of STS-129 was the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier and the ELC-2. The mass capacity of each ELC is with a volume of 30 meters cubed...
(November 16–27, 2009).