Stephen Frick
Encyclopedia
Stephen Nathaniel Frick is an American astronaut and a veteran of two space shuttle
missions. Raised in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
, Frick graduated from Pine-Richland High School
in 1982, earned a degree in aerospace engineering
from the United States Naval Academy
in 1986, was commissioned as a Navy officer, and trained as a F/A-18 fighter pilot. Stationed aboard the carrier , he flew combat missions during the Gulf War
and then earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Naval Postgraduate School
in 1994.
Frick was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and was trained a space shuttle pilot. He piloted mission STS-110
, a docking mission with the International Space Station
.
In July 2006, Frick was assigned to command the crew of STS-122
. The 12-day mission delivered the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory
and returned Expedition 16
Flight Engineer Daniel M. Tani
to Earth. The mission launched February 7, 2008, and touched down February 20, 2008.
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. Raised in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Gibsonia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, north of the city of Pittsburgh. It had a population of 2,733 at the 2010 census. Its ZIP Code is 15044.-Geography:...
, Frick graduated from Pine-Richland High School
Pine-Richland High School
Pine-Richland High School is a high school located in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. It is the only high school in the Pine-Richland School District and is located in Pine Township, Pennsylvania.-History:...
in 1982, earned a 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 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 1986, was commissioned as a Navy officer, and trained as a F/A-18 fighter pilot. Stationed aboard the carrier , he flew combat missions during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and then earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States 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 1994.
Frick was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and was trained a space shuttle pilot. He piloted mission STS-110
STS-110
STS-110 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station on 8–19 April 2002 flown by Space Shuttle Atlantis. The main purpose was to install the S0 Truss segment, which forms the backbone of the truss structure on the station.- Crew :...
, a docking mission with 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...
.
In July 2006, Frick was assigned to command the crew of 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....
. The 12-day mission delivered the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory
Columbus (ISS module)
Columbus is a science laboratory that is part of the International Space Station and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by the European Space Agency ....
and returned 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...
Flight Engineer Daniel M. Tani
Daniel M. Tani
Daniel Tani is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. Although born in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, he considers Lombard, Illinois, to be his hometown...
to Earth. The mission launched February 7, 2008, and touched down February 20, 2008.