Marc Reagan
Encyclopedia
Marc Reagan is a Station Training Lead in Mission Operations at NASA
's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
. He leads a team of instructors who together are responsible for developing and executing complex simulation
s for International Space Station
(ISS) assembly and operations. Reagan also serves as an ISS "Capcom" from Mission Control, communicating with ISS astronauts in orbit. In May 2002, Reagan served as an aquanaut
on the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations
2 (NEEMO 2) crew. He subsequently served as Mission Director for multiple NEEMO missions.
, and has long been fascinated with the exploration
of the sea and space
. As a child he saw one of the early moonwalk
s on television
and knew that he wanted to be part of space exploration
some day.
Reagan has a B.S.
degree in aerospace engineering
from Texas A&M University
, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1989. He received an M.S.
degree in aerospace engineering sciences, on a NASA Fellowship, at the University of Colorado
in 1993.
training for the second ISS assembly mission (the 100th shuttle flight), was in charge of training the 4th Expedition Crew
to the ISS, and led the training for the 8th
ISS crew. He has been extensively involved in negotiations and development of training with the Russian Space Agency in support of the ISS, as well as the Japanese and European Space Agencies
. He is proficient in the Russian language
.
The other primary part of Reagan's job has been his position as Deputy Project Manager for the NASA Undersea Research Team "NEEMO
" (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations), conducted in the Aquarius
underwater laboratory
near Key Largo, Florida
. He has supported NEEMO missions, including NEEMO 3, 4 and 5, from the surface as part of the core "Surface Support Team", serving as mission lead for NEEMO 4. Reagan has said that he "self-selected" for the NEEMO project by volunteering at an early stage to help put it together. Reagan trained as a backup for the first NEEMO mission, NEEMO 1, in October 2001, and was one of the aquanaut
s on the NEEMO 2 mission in May 2002. Prior to NEEMO 2, Reagan wrote: "I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of this 2nd NEEMO mission - this is such a rare and unique opportunity. To work and live in the sea
for nine days will be the fulfillment of a dream for me." During NEEMO 2, Reagan commented in his Mission Day 2 journal entry: "At noon today ... we officially became aquanauts. Not 'certified trained as aquanauts,' not 'wannabe aquanauts,' but real aquanauts. Welcome to a pretty exclusive club. In case you were wondering, there is no door prize, but the job benefits are outstanding. Technically, the term aquanaut is limited to those who stay underwater for 24 hours or more."
Reagan has subsequently supported multiple NEEMO missions, and served as Mission Director for NEEMO 6, NEEMO 9, NEEMO 10, NEEMO 11, NEEMO 12 and NEEMO 13.
diver
with Enriched Air, Advanced, and Rescue Diver
certification
s. He is also an instrument rated pilot
with complex, tailwheel and aerobatic endorsements.
Reagan's hobbies include soccer, water
and snow skiing
, scuba diving
, and music. He plays the keyboard
and sings in a rock 'n roll band made up of colleagues called the "Rockit Scientists". Reagan has lived in League City, Texas
and Houston, Texas
. He has a son named Kyle.
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...
's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He leads a team of instructors who together are responsible for developing and executing complex simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
s for 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...
(ISS) assembly and operations. Reagan also serves as an ISS "Capcom" from Mission Control, communicating with ISS astronauts in orbit. In May 2002, Reagan served as an aquanaut
Aquanaut
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...
on the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations
NEEMO
NEEMO, an acronym for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, is a NASA program for studying human survival in the Aquarius underwater laboratory in preparation for future space exploration....
2 (NEEMO 2) crew. He subsequently served as Mission Director for multiple NEEMO missions.
Early life and education
Reagan grew up in Hobbs, New MexicoHobbs, New Mexico
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
, and has long been fascinated with the exploration
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
of the sea and space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
. As a child he saw one of the early moonwalk
Moonwalk
A moonwalk is an excursion on the Moon . It may also refer to:* Moonwalk, a drink invented for the first walk on the Moon in 1969* Moonwalk, an Estonian record label...
s on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and knew that he wanted to be part of 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....
some day.
Reagan has a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1989. He received an M.S.
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 aerospace engineering sciences, on a NASA Fellowship, at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
in 1993.
NASA career
Reagan was responsible for the crew and flight controllerFlight controller
Flight controllers are personnel who aid in the operations of a space flight, working in Mission Control Centers such as NASA's Mission Control Center, or ESA's Operations Center. Flight controllers sit at computer consoles and use telemetry to monitor in real time various technical aspects of a...
training for the second ISS assembly mission (the 100th shuttle flight), was in charge of training the 4th Expedition Crew
Expedition 4
Expedition 4 was the fourth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Perigee: 384 km*Apogee: 396 km*Inclination: 51.6°*Period: 92 min...
to the ISS, and led the training for the 8th
Expedition 8
Expedition 8 was the eighth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Perigee: 384 km*Apogee: 396 km*Inclination: 51.6°*Period: 92 min*Docked: 20 October 2003 - 07:15:58 UTC...
ISS crew. He has been extensively involved in negotiations and development of training with the Russian Space Agency in support of the ISS, as well as the Japanese and European Space Agencies
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
. He is proficient in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
The other primary part of Reagan's job has been his position as Deputy Project Manager for the NASA Undersea Research Team "NEEMO
NEEMO
NEEMO, an acronym for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, is a NASA program for studying human survival in the Aquarius underwater laboratory in preparation for future space exploration....
" (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations), conducted in 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...
near Key Largo, Florida
Key Largo, Florida
Key Largo is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Florida, United States, located on the island of Key Largo in the upper Florida Keys. The population was 11,886 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the Spanish Cayo Largo, or "long key"...
. He has supported NEEMO missions, including NEEMO 3, 4 and 5, from the surface as part of the core "Surface Support Team", serving as mission lead for NEEMO 4. Reagan has said that he "self-selected" for the NEEMO project by volunteering at an early stage to help put it together. Reagan trained as a backup for the first NEEMO mission, NEEMO 1, in October 2001, and was one of the aquanaut
Aquanaut
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...
s on the NEEMO 2 mission in May 2002. Prior to NEEMO 2, Reagan wrote: "I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of this 2nd NEEMO mission - this is such a rare and unique opportunity. To work and live in the sea
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
for nine days will be the fulfillment of a dream for me." During NEEMO 2, Reagan commented in his Mission Day 2 journal entry: "At noon today ... we officially became aquanauts. Not 'certified trained as aquanauts,' not 'wannabe aquanauts,' but real aquanauts. Welcome to a pretty exclusive club. In case you were wondering, there is no door prize, but the job benefits are outstanding. Technically, the term aquanaut is limited to those who stay underwater for 24 hours or more."
Reagan has subsequently supported multiple NEEMO missions, and served as Mission Director for NEEMO 6, NEEMO 9, NEEMO 10, NEEMO 11, NEEMO 12 and NEEMO 13.
Personal life
Reagan is a certified PADIPadi
Padi or PADI may refer to:* Padi, Chennai, India* Padi , a musical group* Paddy field, a type of cultivated land * Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a scuba organization...
diver
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
with Enriched Air, Advanced, and Rescue Diver
Rescue Diver
Rescue Diver is a scuba diving certification level provided by several diver training agencies, such as PADI, SSI, SDI, and NAUI, which emphasises emergency response and diver rescue....
certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
s. He is also an instrument rated pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
with complex, tailwheel and aerobatic endorsements.
Reagan's hobbies include soccer, water
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
and snow skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
, and music. He plays the keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and sings in a rock 'n roll band made up of colleagues called the "Rockit Scientists". Reagan has lived in League City, Texas
League City, Texas
League City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City...
and Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He has a son named Kyle.