Leland D. Melvin

  • STS- 122 (2008)
  • STS- 129 (2009)

Leland Devon Melvin (* February 15, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an American astronaut.

Training

Melvin graduated in 1982 from high school and then studied chemistry. In 1986 he received from the University of Richmond a bachelor. The University of Virginia five years later awarded him a master's degree in materials science.

As of 1989, Melvin worked at the Langley Research Center of NASA. With fiber optic sensors, he conducted research on new methods for materials research. After five years he was assigned to the X-33 program.

Astronauts activity

In June 1998, Melvin was selected as astronaut candidate by NASA. After the two-year training mission specialist, he supervised the selection program of astronaut trainers ( Educator Astronaut Program).

STS -122

From the summer of 2006 trained Melvin for his first space flight. He belonged to the crew of shuttle mission STS -122, which carried out the mission in February 2008. Main payload was the European Columbus laboratory.

STS -129

Melvin was nominated in September 2008 for the Space Shuttle mission STS -129. He started on 16 November 2009 with the space shuttle Atlantis to a short-term stay on the International Space Station ( ISS).

Education program of NASA

As of 2010, Melvin served as Associate Administrator for Education for the educational program of NASA. He left NASA in February 2014.

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