Kevin P. Chilton
- STS -49 (1992 )
- STS -59 (1994)
- STS -76 ( 1996)
Kevin Patrick " Chily " Chilton ( born November 3, 1954 in Los Angeles, California ) is a former American astronaut and General of the United States Air Force retired. Between June 2006 and October 2007, he was commander of the Air Force Space Command, then to January 2011, Chief of the U.S. Strategic Command.
- 6.1 See also
- 6.2 sources
- 6.3 External links
Military career
Chilton received in 1976 the degree Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, his commission as a Second Lieutenant and in 1977 with the help of a Guggenheim grant a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.
Chilton joined in 1976 in the service of the U.S. Air Force. After he had completed his training as a pilot in 1978 and received his promotion to First Lieutenant on June 2, 1978 he was employed until 1980 in South Korea, Japan and the Philippines as a fighter pilot and as a pilot instructor. After promotion to captain on 2 June 1980 Chilton was treated as a squadron pilot at the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. 1982 Chilton returned back to the United States and attended the squadron officer school at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. Prior to his selection for the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1984, he worked as a flight instructor at the Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. As a test pilot, he then worked at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. During this time he was promoted on May 2, 1985, to major.
Astronauts activity
In August 1987, Chilton was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate. After training as a shuttle pilot, he worked in the development department of the Astronaut Office. He was safety officer for the T-38 aircraft NASA, head of the support teams at the Kennedy Space Center and conducting connection spokesperson for numerous shuttle flights. In addition, Chilton was from May 1996 to August 1998 Deputy Program Manager for the International Space Station (ISS). During this time he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and on 1 January 1993 to Colonel on June 2, 1989.
STS -49
On 7th May 1992 Chilton flew as pilot on the maiden flight of the space shuttle Endeavour for the first time into space. The aim of this mission was the two years previously launched communications satellite Intelsat VI -F3 to recover for a repair. Only with the third spacewalk (EVA ) was finally the satellite be captured by hand. Then Intelsat received a new apogee, so that he could achieve an intended geostationary orbit. In another EVA structures and tools were tested.
STS -59
His next assignment as a shuttle pilot had Chilton on April 9, 1994. Aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, the so-called Space Radar Laboratory mission (SRL ) was performed. SRL was composed of three major radar equipment and a carbon monoxide sensor which have been used for studies of the surface and the atmosphere. Real-time observations of surface features and weather conditions along with over 14,000 photographs helped the researchers in the evaluation of the data.
STS -76
On 22 March 1996 Chilton started as commander of the space shuttle Atlantis to the Russian space station Mir. The third rendezvous mission, the astronaut Shannon Lucid was taken to the Mir space station. In addition, supplies, equipment and Experimentiergut were delivered, different devices mounted outboard of the station as well as technological and biological experiments conducted in Spacehab.
Back in the military service
1998 Chilton left NASA, returned to the service of the U.S. Air Force and took until May 1999 post of Deputy Operation Director at the headquarters of the Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. He then took from May 1999 to September 2000 again a troop command and commanded the U.S. 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base in California. Before using this he received on 1 May 1999 was promoted to Brigadier General.
In April 2000, Chilton was transferred to the Joint Staff and served as Director for Political- Military Cooperation in the Asia - Pacific and the Middle East. Two years later, on 1 April 2002, he was promoted to Major General and in August 2002 he took over - also in the Defense Ministry - the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force the post of director for programs in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for planning and programs. In the period from August 2004 to August 2005 Chilton served in the Air Staff as Acting assistive Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force and took over the promotion to Lieutenant General on 9 August 2005 finally to June 2006 as the commander of the U.S. 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and was also joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike of the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. On 26 June 2006 Chilton was promoted to General and moved to the Peterson AFB, where he commanded the Air Force Space Command.
On October 3, 2007 Chilton took over - through the promotion of General James E. Cartwright vacant - command of the U.S. Strategic Command, which he headed until his retirement on 28 January 2011.
Private
Chilton is married and has four children.
Awards
Selection of decorations, sorted on the basis of the Order of Precedence of the Military Awards:
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Superior Service Medal (3 x)
- Legion of Merit (2 x)
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal (2 x)
In addition, he was awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.