Astronaut (and Former Astronaut) Hams

To our readers:  We have made every effort, through exhaustive research, to maintain as accurate a list as possible, of the many men and women who have amateur (ham) licenses among those who are or have been astronauts and/or cosmonauts. 

We will always remember 01-FEB-2003, the date of the tragic loss of Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas, minutes before mission STS-107 was to end with a safe landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  This catastrophe resulted in the deaths of seven astronauts, including three who were licensed radio amateurs: Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, KD5ESI; David M. Brown, KC5ZTC; and, Laurel B. Clark, KC5ZSU.

Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of the Columbia Seven and their families.

(For further information, see the notes/links at the bottom of this page.) See also:

NASA Amateur Radio Program and NASA's Aerospace Education Services Program

Please send additions, clarifications, amplifications and corrections to me:

[Click HERE to send me email]

NASA Abbreviation

Meaning

CDR

Commander

FE

Flight Engineer

MS

Mission Specialist

PLT

Pilot

PS

Payload Specialist

PS-CDR

Payload Commander

ASCAN

Astronaut Candidate

COSMO

Cosmonaut


The list is based on information through 19-AUG-2005.

Directions:  Click on each person's Amateur Radio Callsign and this should bring up his/her biographical information in a new browser window.

Last Name

First Name

Amateur Callsign

NASA Abbreviation

License Class

Apt, Ph.D.

Jay

N5QWL

MS

ADVANCED

Anderson

Clayton C.

KD5PLA

MS/ISS FE

TECH

Baker, M.D., M.P.H.

Ellen S.

KB5SIX

MS

TECH

Bartoe

Dr. John-David F.

W4NYZ

PS

GENERAL

Blaha

John E.

KC5TZQ

CDR

TECH

Bolden

Charles F.

KE4IQB

CDR

TECH

Bowersox

Kenneth D.

KD5JBP

CDR - Expedition 6

TECH

Brady, Jr.

Charles E.

N4BQW

MS

EXTRA (SK 23-JUL-2006)

Brown

David M.

KC5ZTC

MS/ASCAN

TECH (SK 01-FEB-2003, STS-107)

Budarin

Nikolai Mikhailovich

RV3DB (R4MIR)

COSMO

(Russia)

Burbank

Daniel C.

KC5ZSX

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Bursch

Daniel W.

KD5PNU

FE/MS

TECH

Cabana

Robert D.

KC5HBV

CDR

TECH

Cagle, M.D.

Yvonne Darlene

KC5ZSV

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Cameron

Kenneth D.

KB5AWP

CDR

ADVANCED

Camarda, Ph.D.

Charles J.

KC5ZSY

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Chamitoff, Ph.D.

Gregory

KD5PKZ

MS/ISS FE

TECH

Chawla, Ph.D.

Kalpana

KD5ESI

MS

TECH (SK 01-FEB-2003, STS-107)

Chiao

Leroy

KE5BRW

CDR

TECH

Chilton

Kevin P.

KC5TEU

CDR

TECH

Clark, M.D.

Laurel Blair Salton

KC5ZSU

MS/ASCAN

TECH (SK 01-FEB-2003, STS-107)

Clervoy

Jean-Francois

KC5WKG

MS

TECH

Cockrell

Kenneth D.

KB5UAH

CDR

TECH

Coleman

Catherine G. "Cady"

KC5ZTH

MS

TECH

Collins

Eileen Marie

KD5EDS

CDR

TECH

Creamer

Timothy J. "TJ"

KC5WKI

MS

TECH

Culbertson, Jr.

Frank L.

KD5OPQ

CDR

TECH

Currie, Ph.D.

Nancy Jane

KC5OZX

MS

TECH

De Winne

Frank

ON1DWN

MS

TECH

Duffy

Brian

N5WQW

CDR

TECH

Dunbar, Ph.D.

Bonnie J.

KD5DCB

MS/PS-CDR

TECH

Duque

Pedro

KC5RGG

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Durrance, Ph.D.

Samuel T.

N3TQA

PS

TECH

Dzhanibekov

Vladimir

RV3DD

COSMO

(Russia)

England, Ph.D.

Anthony W. "Tony"

W0ORE

PS

EXTRA

Eyharts

Leopold

KE5FNO

MS/Expedition 16 FE

TECH (from France)

Fettman, B.S., D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D., Diplomate, ACVP

Martin Joseph

KC5AXA

PS

TECH

Fincke

E. Michael

KE5AIT

FE/Science Officer

TECH

Foale, Ph.D.

C. Michael

KB5UAC

MS

TECH

Frick

Stephen N.

KD5DZC

PLT

TECH

Frimout, Ph.D.

Dirk D.

ON1AFD

PS

(Belgium)

Fuglesang

Christer

KE5CGR (SA0FAS)

MS

(Sweden's 1st astronaut)

Furrer

Reinhard

DD6CF

PS

(Germany) (SK 09-SEP-1995)

Gagarin

Yuri

UA1LO

1st human in space

(Russia)

Garriott, Ph.D.

Owen K.

W5LFL

MS

EXTRA

Gidzenko

Yuri Pavlovich

U5MIR

MS

(Russia)

Godwin, Ph.D.

Linda M.

N5RAX

MS

TECH PLUS

Gregory

William G.

KC5MGA

PLT

TECH

Grunsfeld, Ph.D.

John M.

KC5ZTF

MS

TECH

Hadfield

Chris A.

KC5RNJ (VA3OOG)

MS

TECH

Haignere

Jean-Pierre

FX0STB

PLT

(France)

Halsell, Jr.

James D.

KC5RNI

CDR

TECH

Hammond, Jr.

L. Blaine

KC5HBS

PLT

TECH

Helms

Susan J.

KC7NHZ

MS

TECH

Hoshide

Akihiko

KE5DNI

MS

TECH

Ivins

Marsha S.

KC5WKF

MS

TECH

Jernigan, Ph.D.

Tamara E. “Tammy”

KC5MGF

MS

TECH

Kaleri

Alexander

U8MIR

MS

(Russia)

Kelly

James M.

KC5ZSW

PLT /ASCAN

TECH

Kononenko

Oleg

RN3DX

FE

(Russia)

Korzun

Valeri Grigorievich

RZ3FK

COSMO

(Russia)

Krikalev

Sergei Konstantinovich

U5MIR

COSMO

(Russia)

Lawrence

Wendy B.

KC5KII

MS

TECH

Leestma

David C.

N5WQC

MS

TECH

Linenger, M.D., M.S.S.M., M.P.H., Ph.D.

Jerry M. "JM"

KC5HBR

MS

TECH

Lonchakov

Yuri Valentinovich

RS1ISS

COSMO

(Russia)-crew on STS-100

Lopez-Alegria

Michael

KE5GTK

MS

TECH

Lu, Ph.D.

Edward Tsang

KC5WKJ

MS

TECH

Malenchenko

Yuri

RK3DUP

MS

(Russia)

Manarov

Musa Khiramanovich

U2MIR/UV3AM

COSMO

(Russia)

Mastracchio

Richard A. "Rick"

KC5ZTE

MS/ASCAN

TECH

McArthur, Jr.

William Surles "Bill"

KC5ACR

MS

TECH

Messerschmidt

Ernst

DG2KM

PS/Head of ESA's Astronaut Training Centre

(Germany)

Mohri

Mamoru

7L2NJY

PS

(Japan)

Morgan

Barbara

KD5VNP

MS

TECH

Musabayev

Talgat

RO3FT

COSMO

(Russia)

Nagel

Steven R.

N5RAW

CDR

TECH PLUS

Noguchi

Soichi

KD5TVP

MS

TECH

Noriega

Carlos I.

KC5WKK

MS

TECH

Nowak

Lisa M.

KC5ZTB

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Ochoa, Ph.D.

Ellen

KB5TZZ

MS

TECH

Ockels, Ph.D.

Wubbo J.

PE1LFO

PS

(Netherlands)

Olsen

Greg

KC2ONX

Space Tourist (9/30/05)

TECH

Onufrienko

Yuri Ivanovich

RK3DUO

CDR

(Russia)

Oswald

Stephen S.

KB5YSR

CDR

TECH

Padalka

Gennady

RN3DT

CDR

(Russia)

Parazynski, M.D.

Scott E.

KC5RSY

MS

TECH

Parise, Ph.D.

Ronald A. "Ron"

WA4SIR

PS

ADVANCED (SK 09-MAY-2008)

Patrick, Ph.D., P.E. 

Nicholas J. M. 

KD5PKY

MS

TECH (also member of AOPA)

Pettit, Ph.D.

Donald R.

KD5MDT

FE

TECH

Phillips, Ph.D.

John L.

KE5DRY

MS

TECH

Precourt

Charles J.

KB5YSQ

CDR/Astronaut Office Chief (2002)

TECH

Reiter

Thomas

DF4TR

MS

(Germany)

Richards

Paul William

KC5ZSZ

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Richards

Richard N. "Dick"

KB5SIW

CDR

TECH

Riesman, Ph.D.

Garrett

KE5HAE

MS

TECH

Ross

Jerry L.

N5SCW

MS

TECH PLUS

Schlegel

Hans

DG1KIH

PS

(Germany)

Searfoss

Richard A.

KC5CKM

CDR

TECH

Sega, Ph.D.

Ronald M.

KC5ETH

MS

TECH

Sharipov

Salizhan Shakirovich

RS0ISS

FE

(Russia)

Sharman

Helen

GB1MIR

COSMO

(Great Britain)

Shepherd

William M.

KD5GSL

MS (1st astronaut on ISS)

TECH

Shuttleworth

Mark

ZSRSA ("temporary, honorary South African callsign")

MS/Space Tourist

TECH

Simonyi

Charles

KE5KDP

MS/Space Tourist

TECH

Sullivan, Ph.D.

Kathryn D.

N5YYV

MS

TECH

Tani

Daniel

KD5DXE

FE

TECH

Thagard

Norman

K4YSY (lapsed call )

MS

EXPIRED

Thirsk, P.Eng., MDCM, MBA

Robert Brent "Bob"

VA3CSA

PS

TECH

Thomas, Ph.D.

Donald A.

KC5FVF

MS

TECH

Thomas, Ph.D.

Andrew S.W. "Andy"

KD5CHF & VK5MIR

COSMO

TECH

Tito

Dennis

KG6FZX

MS/Space Tourist

Tech (1st Space Tourist)

Titov

Vladmir Georgievich

U1MIR

COSMO

(Russia)

Tognini

Michel A.

KD5EJZ

MS

(French AF)

Treschev

Sergei Yevgenyevich

RZ3FU

COSMO

(Russia)

Tyurin

Mikhail

RZ3FT

Expedition 14 crew commander

(Russia)

Ulrich

Walter

DG1KIM

PS

(Germany)

Urbani

Luca

KC5RGF

PS

TECH

Usachev

Yury Vladimirovich

UA9AD/R3MIR/RW3FU

MS

(Russia)

Vinogradov

Pavel

RV3BS

Expedition 13 crew commander

(Russia)

Vittori

Roberto

IZ6ERU

MS

TECH

Volkov

Sergei

RU3DIS

CDR

(Russia)

Voss, Ph.D.

Janice

KC5BTK

MS

TECH

Wakata

Koichi

KC5ZTA

MS

TECH (Japan ISS)

Walz

Carl E.

KC5TIE

FE/MS

TECH

Whitson, Ph.D.

Peggy A.

KC5ZTD

MS/ASCAN

TECH

Williams

Jeffrey N.

KD5TVQ

MS/ISS Flight Engineer

TECH

Williams

Sunita L.

KD5PLB

MS/ISS Flight Engineer

TECH

Wolf, BSEE, M.D.

David A.

KC5VPF

MS

TECH


The following information has been provided by Philip Chien, KC4YER. Send your comments via e-mail to kc4yer@amsat.org.

These American astronauts were on long-duration stays aboard Mir.

(Dates are from launch through landing)

Astronaut

Launch (mm/dd/yy)

Landing (mm/dd/yy)

Callsign

Time In Space

Norm Thagard

03/14/95

07/07/95

R0MIR

115 days

Shannon Lucid (no call)

03/22/96

09/26/96

R0MIR

188 days

John Blaha

09/16/96

01/22/97

KC5TZQ

128 days

Jerry Linenger

01/12/97

05/24/97

KC5HBR

132 days

Mike Foale

05/15/97

10/05/97

KB5UAC

142 days

Dave Wolf

09/25/97

01/24/98

KC5VPF

121 days

Andy Thomas

01/15/98

06/07/98

KD5CHF

130 days

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL DAYS

 

 

 

956 days


(Note: Andy Thomas was the final American astronaut aboard Mir.) The Mir Space Station was de-orbited on 23-MAY-2001, and crash-landed, without incident, in an uninhabited region of the Pacific Ocean.

(Note: NASA seems to rearrange its site quite often so these links may not be up-to-date all the time. You can always reach their main portal by accessing the following URL: NASA Home)

(Note: During 2002, the callsign RS0ISS was being used on the International Space Station.)


A very nice article with links on NASA's website entitled "Ham Radios in Space" can be found here.

 

The NASA headquarters worldwide Mir info web site has a history of each cosmonaut crew which has occupied Mir.


Many astronaut biographies can be found here; fortunately, NASA now provides an easy search capability on their site at http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html.

 

Here is a link to information on the ISS the International Space Station.

 

Crewmembers (listed by Expedition #) are found at: Expedition Crews.

 

Interesting note:  Ken Ham is the pilot for the STS-124 crew.  The Plainfield, New Jersey native is not a licensed radio amateur (as of 7/20/2008) yet!

 

Biographies of the astronauts and cosmonauts connected with the joint U.S. - Russian programs can be found at the NASA Headquarters web site.  Credit: Glenn Swanson, KB1GW


Educational Programs Coordinator, ARRL Educational Activities Department

 

NASA's (AESP) Aerospace Education Services Program has at least four radio amateurs, Ota Lutz, KD5UQZ, Joan Sanders, KD5UQW, and Angelo Casaburri, KD5UQS, Linus Guillory, KD5WXN, travel to schools and museums as AESP representatives.  AESP specializes in providing free professional development workshops for teachers of science, mathematics, geography and technology. Workshops introduce participants to hands-on activities and NASA curriculum support materials.  

 

Contact the American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur radio, in Newington, CT, for further information about amateur (ham) radio.

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