Brent W. Jett, Jr.
- STS -72 ( 1996)
- STS -81 (1997)
- STS -97 (2000)
- STS- 115 (2006)
Brent Ward Jett, Jr. ( born October 5, 1958 in Pontiac, Michigan, United States) is a former American astronaut.
Jett was indeed born northwest of Detroit in Pontiac (Michigan), but he grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His parents still live there. In 1976, he went from the Northeast High School in Oakland Park (Florida ) and began, at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis (Maryland) to study. He completed his aviation and aerospace studies as a valedictorian with a Bachelor in May 1981.
Military career
After Jett joined the U.S. Navy and was trained as a Navy pilot. There followed a training on the F-14 " Tomcat " on the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia before he was assigned to the Combat Squadron 74 ( Navy designation VF -74 ). Aboard the aircraft carrier "USS Saratoga " broke the "Be - Devilers " as is called the VF -74, the beginning of April 1984 to the Mediterranean on. After half a year the "USS Saratoga " end of October returned. Then Jett visited the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School in Miramar (California ) and was trained on the Tactical Officer. This course is known for the eponymous film starring Tom Cruise as " TOPGUN ", although he officially Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor is called (sometimes incorrectly school, which has now moved to Nevada, as referred TOPGUN ).
End of August 1985 began Jett his second trip to the "USS Saratoga ". The first destination was the Mediterranean again before use in the Indian Ocean has continued. The "USS Saratoga " moved in October into the limelight when Palestinian terrorists the Italian cruise ship " Achille Lauro " kidnapped. As them safe passage was assured, the terrorists fled with an Egyptian airliner. On the orders of U.S. President Ronald Reagan then came the " Saratoga " in action. Four fighter jets (two " Tomcats " put the VF -74 ), led by an air space surveillance aircraft intercepted the machine and forced them on the NATO base in Sigonella Sicily landing, where the Italian police arrested the terrorists. The "Be - Devilers " then flew two missions against Libya in March 1986, the "USS Saratoga " was part of "Operation Prairie Fire" and a month later she was in "Operation El Dorado Canyon " involved. In mid-April 1986, the aircraft carrier returned to its home port in Virginia.
Then Jett took part in a training program for test pilots at which the participating Naval Postgraduate School ( NPS) in Monterey, California and the United States Naval Test Pilot School ( USNTPS ). As of July 1986 Jett studied only at the NPS. After 15 months, he simultaneously took part in a test pilot seminar at the USNTPS, which is located in Maryland at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. So he was forced to constantly commute between the East and the West Coast of the USA back and forth. In June 1989, the NPS awarded him a master's in aeronautical engineering. And the following year he was also the USNTPS Course as " outstanding graduate ". He then transferred to the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River base. As a responsible test pilot, he worked with the aircraft models F-14 " Tomcat " A-7 " Corsair II" T -45 " Goshawk ". In September 1991 he returned to his old squadron, the "Be - Devilers " back. He led the VF -74 until his retirement in the summer of 1992.
Astronauts activity
Since his childhood Jett was fascinated by aviation. Even as a teenager he wanted in the Navy. Once there, moved him to the aircraft carrier. He had become a test pilot when he first thought of becoming an astronaut. Until then him this profession was so unattainable appeared that he did not even thought of the possibility. How surprised he must have been that his first application had the same successful.
Brent Jett was presented as one of four pilot candidates with the 14th astronaut group NASA end of March 1992. From a total of 2054 candidates ( pause ) n, corresponding to the formal selection criteria, 87 Finalist ( inn ) en had emerged. They were invited to the Johnson Space Center (JSC ) to Houston in Texas to testing, interviews and medical examinations in the autumn of 1991.
The 24köpfige group consisting of four pilots and mission specialists twenty ( including five from abroad), began a one-year basic training in August 1992. After Jett worked in the Operations and Development Branch of the Astronaut Office.
In December 1994, Jett was nominated as a pilot for his first space flight. STS -72 took place in January 1996. In addition to the capture of a year earlier into space launched by Japan Space Flyer Unit platform two spacewalks were on the program. This assembly techniques were simulated in order to gain experience for the future International Space Station. Only two weeks after the return of the Endeavour Jett was appointed for his next mission.
Exactly one year after its maiden flight broke Jett with the Atlantis to the Russian space station Mir. As a pilot, he supported commander Mike Baker in navigating the orbiter. During the five-day coupling not only almost three tons of equipment between the two spacecraft, but also two U.S. crew members were exchanged: John Blaha, who had since September 1996 lived aboard Mir and worked, returned with the shuttle to Earth while as the new host Jerry Linenger remained on the station.
After two years of intensive training NASA Brent Jett sent to the " Star City " to Moscow. Between June 1997 and February 1998, he worked as a liaison officer for the American space agency in Russia.
In 1998, Jett early August with STS- 97, his first command. The Endeavour was launched in December 2000 on the International Space Station. The five-member crew brought a lattice structure, equipped with solar panels to generate electricity and radiators for cooling, to the station. After docking, the element was removed from the payload bay of the orbiter and connected with three exits to the space station. Only after the hatches were opened and the ISS crew was able to greet the crew of the Endeavour. Just one day later, the shuttle went to the return.
By Brent Jett was appointed in February 2002 for his fourth flight, he managed at JSC Advance Vehicles Branch.
In September 2006, Jett took with STS -115 on his fourth mission. The crew of Atlantis mounted in six days the 16 -ton P3/P4 element to the space station. This was the ISS the second of four solar modules. After twelve days, the space shuttle returned.
Brent retired from the Navy in 2007 and in February 2013 from NASA. He is married and has no children.