Michael E. Fossum
Encyclopedia
Michael Edward Fossum is an American
astronaut
. He flew into space on board the NASA
Space Shuttle
missions STS-121
and STS-124
as a mission specialist and is currently aboard the international space station as commander of Expedition 29
.
. He graduated from McAllen High School in 1976. He then attended the University of Texas–Pan American
in Edinburg, Texas and later went on to receive a Bachelor of Science
degree in mechanical engineering
from Texas A&M University
in 1980, followed by a Master of Science
degree in systems engineering
from the Air Force Institute of Technology
in 1981. In 1997, Fossum received a Master of Science
degree in physical science from the University of Houston–Clear Lake
.
during his undergraduate years and served as commander of Squadron 3 in the Corps of Cadets. After receiving his first master's degree, he was selected to attend Air Force Test Pilot School from which he graduated in 1985. He left active duty for the Air Force Reserve in 1992 in order to work for NASA. He retired as a Colonel
in the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2010, and has logged 1000 hours in 34 different kinds of aircraft
.
moon landing
. He rekindled this dream while he was assigned by the Air Force at Johnson Space Center during the early 1990s.
His NASA career began in 1993 when he was employed as a systems engineer to evaluate the Russia
n Soyuz spacecraft
as an emergency space vehicle on the International Space Station
. He also worked for the X-38 project, in which he was in charge of vehicle flight tests.
Fossum was selected as an astronaut in 1998 and joined the Astronaut Corps in August of that year.
He entered space for the first time on July 4, 2006 as a mission specialist of mission STS-121
to the International Space Station
where he participated in three spacewalks. On July 8, Fossum with Piers Sellers
conducted a 7 and a half hour spacewalk making a repair to the ISS and testing using the Shuttle's arm as a platform for making repairs to the Shuttle. Fossum became the first Texas A&M
undergraduate to travel to space.
In 2011 Fossum launched to ISS to become part of the Expedition 28
and Expedition 29
crews, and he will serve as commander of Expedition 29.
Fossum is currently married to the former Melanie J. London and they have four children together. In his spare time he enjoys activities with his family and pastimes such as jogging
and backpacking
. As an Eagle Scout
, he is also very involved with the Boy Scouts of America
(BSA) as well as the Order of the Arrow
and is the leader of two different troops. The BSA has honored him with its Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
. He still keeps a close affiliation with Texas A&M University
, from which he graduated in 1980. More recently, he attended a Junior Cadet Achievement Program (JCAP) Banquet in October 2006 and helped present scholarships to the high school senior cadets who attended the program. On May 30, 2007, Fossum was invited to be the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony at Philmont Scout Ranch
, starting off the ranch's 2007 season by relating to the staff there how his experiences both in scouting
and at Philmont helped him overcome many challenges in his life.
A Junior High School in McAllen, Texas
has been named after Fossum.
Fossum currently resides in Houston, Texas.
He is of Norwegian descent and his ancestors probably emigrated from Fossum in the municipality of Baerum, Norway.
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....
. He flew into space on board the 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...
Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
missions STS-121
STS-121
STS-121 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and...
and 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...
as a mission specialist and is currently aboard the international space station as commander of Expedition 29
Expedition 29
Expedition 29 was the 29th long-duration expedition to the International Space Station . The expedition formally began with the departure from the ISS of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft at 00:38 UTC on on 16 September 2011...
.
Education
Michael Fossum spent his early life in McAllen, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He graduated from McAllen High School in 1976. He then attended the University of Texas–Pan American
University of Texas–Pan American
The University of Texas–Pan American , founded as Edinberg College, is a state university located in Edinburg, Texas. Founded in 1927, it is a component institution of The University of Texas System. The university serves the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas with baccalaureate,...
in Edinburg, Texas and later went on to receive a Bachelor of Science
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 mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
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...
in 1980, followed by 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 systems engineering
Systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over the life cycle of the project. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more...
from the Air Force Institute of Technology
Air Force Institute of Technology
The Air Force Institute of Technology is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education that is part of the United States Air Force. It is located on Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT has been...
in 1981. In 1997, Fossum 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 physical science from the University of Houston–Clear Lake
University of Houston–Clear Lake
The University of Houston–Clear Lake is a state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 524-acre in Pasadena, with a satellite campus in Pearland. Founded in 1971, UHCL has an enrollment of more than 8,000 students...
.
Air Force
Fossum was involved with the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during his undergraduate years and served as commander of Squadron 3 in the Corps of Cadets. After receiving his first master's degree, he was selected to attend Air Force Test Pilot School from which he graduated in 1985. He left active duty for the Air Force Reserve in 1992 in order to work for NASA. He retired as a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2010, and has logged 1000 hours in 34 different kinds of aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
NASA
The first time Fossum became interested in being an astronaut was at age 12 while watching the Apollo 11Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
moon landing
Moon landing
A moon landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This includes both manned and unmanned missions. The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was the Soviet Union's Luna 2 mission on 13 September 1959. The United States's Apollo 11 was the first manned...
. He rekindled this dream while he was assigned by the Air Force at Johnson Space Center during the early 1990s.
His NASA career began in 1993 when he was employed as a systems engineer to evaluate the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Soyuz spacecraft
Soyuz spacecraft
Soyuz , Union) is a series of spacecraft initially designed for the Soviet space programme by the Korolyov Design Bureau in the 1960s, and still in service today...
as an emergency space vehicle 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 also worked for the X-38 project, in which he was in charge of vehicle flight tests.
Fossum was selected as an astronaut in 1998 and joined the Astronaut Corps in August of that year.
Space flight
STS-121
STS-121 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and...
to 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...
where he participated in three spacewalks. On July 8, Fossum with Piers Sellers
Piers Sellers
Piers John Sellers OBE is a British-born Anglo-American meteorologist and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of three space shuttle missions....
conducted a 7 and a half hour spacewalk making a repair to the ISS and testing using the Shuttle's arm as a platform for making repairs to the Shuttle. Fossum became the first Texas A&M
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...
undergraduate to travel to space.
In 2011 Fossum launched to ISS to become part of the Expedition 28
Expedition 28
Expedition 28 was the 28th long-duration expedition to the International Space Station, starting on 23 May 2011 with the departure of the members of Expedition 27. The first three members of the expedition arrived on the ISS aboard the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft on 4 April 2011, and were joined on 9...
and Expedition 29
Expedition 29
Expedition 29 was the 29th long-duration expedition to the International Space Station . The expedition formally began with the departure from the ISS of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft at 00:38 UTC on on 16 September 2011...
crews, and he will serve as commander of Expedition 29.
Personal
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
and backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
. As an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
, he is also very involved with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
(BSA) as well as the Order of the Arrow
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America . It uses American Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. The society was created by E. Urner Goodman, with the...
and is the leader of two different troops. The BSA has honored him with its Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America . It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years after attaining the level of Eagle Scout...
. He still keeps a close affiliation with 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...
, from which he graduated in 1980. More recently, he attended a Junior Cadet Achievement Program (JCAP) Banquet in October 2006 and helped present scholarships to the high school senior cadets who attended the program. On May 30, 2007, Fossum was invited to be the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony at Philmont Scout Ranch
Philmont Scout Ranch
Philmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, New Mexico, covering approximately of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico...
, starting off the ranch's 2007 season by relating to the staff there how his experiences both in scouting
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and at Philmont helped him overcome many challenges in his life.
A Junior High School in McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
has been named after Fossum.
Fossum currently resides in Houston, Texas.
He is of Norwegian descent and his ancestors probably emigrated from Fossum in the municipality of Baerum, Norway.
Awards
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
 |
Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal The Meritorious Service Medal is a senior level military decoration presented to denote acts of meritorious service worthy of recognition. This medal can be awarded in a combat or non- combat theatre... |
with two oak leaf cluster Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration... s |
 |
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
with one award star |
 |
NASA Exceptional Service Medal NASA Exceptional Service Medal The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is an award granted to U.S. government employees for significant sustained performance characterized by unusual initiative or creative ability that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, aeronautics, space flight, administration, support, or... |
|
 |
NASA Space Flight Medal | with two oak leaf clusters |
 |
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon | with four oak leaf clusters |
 |
Air Force Training Ribbon Air Force Training Ribbon The Air Force Training Ribbon is the lowest military award of the United States Air Force, ranking only above foreign military awards.The Air Force Training Ribbon was authorized by the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force on October 12, 1980. It is awarded to U.S. Air Force service members on completion... |
|