Kevin A. Ford
- STS- 128 (2009)
- Soyuz TMA- 06M (2012/ 2013) ISS Expedition 33
- ISS Expedition 34
Kevin Anthony Ford (born 7 July 1960 Portland, Indiana) is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and current NASA astronaut. Ford was the pilot of Space Shuttle mission STS -128, which launched to the International Space Station on 29 August 2009 and Commander of the ISS Expedition 34
Life
Ford was born in Portland, Indiana, the son of Clayton and Barbara Ford and grew up in Montpelier, Indiana. In 1978 he graduated from the Blackford High School in Hartford, Indiana. In 1982 he completed his studies in aviation and aerospace engineering at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, with a bachelor's degree. In 1989 he obtained a Masters in International Relations at the University of Troy, Alabama, in 1994, a master followed at the University of Florida in air and space technology. 1997 Ford doctorate to the Ph.D. in aeronautics and aerospace engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Ohio.
Ford took during his studies at Notre Dame successfully the training program of the Armed Forces, the Reserve Officer Training Corps, part and joined the U.S. Air Force at. At the Air University, the University of the U.S. Air Force in Alabama, Ford graduated with success several courses, the Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.
Ford is married and has two children.
Military career
Ford has been transformed through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1982 and completed his training as a jet pilot in an F- 15 at the Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi in 1984. Subsequently, he was from 1984 to 1987 in a combat squadron in the Air Force Base in Bitburg, and until 1989 in a Abfanggeschwader at Keflavik naval Air Station, Iceland stationed, where he was involved among other things, on intercepting and escorting 18 Soviet fighter aircraft over the North Atlantic. After completion of Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California (1990 ), Ford was until 1994 a test pilot in an F -16 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
1994-1997 Ford earned his doctorate at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Air Force Base Wright - Patterson, Ohio. He was assigned to the Air Force school for test pilots then, and served as a trainer for the F- 15 and F -16 aircraft and gliders. Ford has completed 3500 hours of flight time, is a pilot for airplanes, helicopters and gliders and flight instructor for airplanes and gliders. 2008 Ford retired as a colonel from the Air Force.
NASA career
In July 2000, Ford was selected as astronaut candidate by NASA and began the two-year training in August 2000. Subsequently he provided various tasks at NASA, such as capsule communicator and director for operations at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City in Russia January 2004 to January 2005.
On July 15, 2008 Ford has been selected as pilot on STS -128. Ford launched this mission on 29 August 2009 with the Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station (ISS). The landing took place on 12 September 2009.
In February 2010 it was announced that Ford will fly as ISS Increment astronaut into space again. On July 8, 2010 he was nominated as NASA ISS Flight Engineer together with the two Russians Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin as backup crew for Soyuz TMA- 04M as well as use - crew for Soyuz TMA- 06M, which launched to the ISS on October 23, 2012. There Ford was initially Flight Engineer of ISS - 33 crew and was on November 18, commander of the 34th ISS crew.
Awards and honors
During his service time Ford was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In 1998 he was awarded the Air Force Test Pilot School David B. Barnes Outstanding Flight Instructor Award as an outstanding instructor.