James D. Halsell
Encyclopedia
James Donald Halsell, Jr. (born 29 September 1956) is a retired United States Air Force
officer and a former NASA
astronaut
. He is a veteran of five Space Shuttle
missions. He has been quoted as saying he loves floating in zero gravity and watching the earth from space. "It's amazing to hold a handful of Skittles and watch them float away from you," Halsell has said.
Halsell was born and raised in West Monroe, Louisiana
and attended the United States Air Force Academy
. After training as a test pilot, he worked on F-4
, F-16 and SR-71 aircraft. Halsell was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1990 and was trained as a Space Shuttle pilot. He piloted missions STS-65
(1994) and STS-74
(1995), and commanded missions STS-83
, STS-94
(1997) and STS-101
(2000).
Halsell was Space Shuttle Program manager for launch integration at the Kennedy Space Center from 2000–2002, responsible for giving the "go for launch" on 13 Shuttle missions. After the Columbia accident, he led the NASA Return to Flight Planning Team, responsible for converting the recommendations of the accident investigation board into Shuttle Program actions that resulted in resumption of missions in 2005.
Halsell earned a masters degree in Space Operations from the Air Force Institute of Technology
in 1985.
He retired from NASA in November 2006 to accept a position with ATK Launch Systems. Halsell is Vice President, Space Exploration Systems, and the ATK site manager at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL.
United 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...
officer and a 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 is a veteran of five 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. He has been quoted as saying he loves floating in zero gravity and watching the earth from space. "It's amazing to hold a handful of Skittles and watch them float away from you," Halsell has said.
Halsell was born and raised in West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and attended the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. After training as a test pilot, he worked on F-4
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, F-16 and SR-71 aircraft. Halsell was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1990 and was trained as a Space Shuttle pilot. He piloted missions STS-65
STS-65
STS-65 is a Space Shuttle program mission of Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 8 July 1994. The flight was commanded by Robert D...
(1994) and STS-74
STS-74
STS-74 was a Space Shuttle Atlantis mission to the Mir space station. It was the fourth mission of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program, and it carried out the second docking of a space shuttle to Mir. Atlantis lifted off for the mission on 12 November 1995 from Kennedy Space Center launch pad 39A,...
(1995), and commanded missions STS-83
STS-83
STS-83 was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle Columbia.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter Landing with payload: **MSL-1 Spacelab Module: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 28.5°...
, STS-94
STS-94
STS-94 was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle Columbia, launched on 1 July 1997.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter Landing with payload: **MSL-1 Spacelab Module: *Perigee: *Apogee:...
(1997) and STS-101
STS-101
-Mission parameters:* Mass:** Orbiter landing with payload: ** Payload: * Perigee: * Apogee: * Inclination: 51.6°* Period: 91 min-Space walks:* Voss and Williams – EVA 1...
(2000).
Halsell was Space Shuttle Program manager for launch integration at the Kennedy Space Center from 2000–2002, responsible for giving the "go for launch" on 13 Shuttle missions. After the Columbia accident, he led the NASA Return to Flight Planning Team, responsible for converting the recommendations of the accident investigation board into Shuttle Program actions that resulted in resumption of missions in 2005.
Halsell earned a masters degree in Space Operations 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 1985.
He retired from NASA in November 2006 to accept a position with ATK Launch Systems. Halsell is Vice President, Space Exploration Systems, and the ATK site manager at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL.