Richard Mastracchio

• STS- 106 (2000)
• STS- 118 (2007)
• STS- 131 (2010)
• Soyuz TMA -11M ( 2013/2014 )   ISS Expedition 38
• ISS Expedition 39

Richard Alan "Rick" Mastracchio ( born February 11, 1960 in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States) is an American astronaut.

Training

Mastracchio 1982 received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering / computer science from the University of Connecticut, in 1987 a master's in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1991 and a Masters in Physics from the University of Houston.

Mastracchio worked from 1982 to 1987 in the development department at Hamilton Standard in Connecticut. From 1987 he worked for Rockwell Shuttle Operations Company at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Astronauts activity

In 1990 Mastracchio came as an engineer for NASA. There he was involved in the software development for the Space Shuttle, the Shuttle Avionics Integration software tested at the Laboratory and developed start and termination method for the astronaut office. From 1993 to 1996 he worked in the control center and was in a total of 17 missions responsible for the Navigationnsberechnungen as Guidance and Procedures Officer.

In April 1996 Mastracchio was selected as astronaut candidate by NASA. After training as a mission specialist, he took over duties in the IT department of the Astronaut Office, assisted in planning for the International Space Station ( ISS) and for spacewalks and oversaw improvements to the shuttle cockpit.

STS -106

September 8th 2000, Mastracchio flew as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Atlantis to the space station. During the twelve day mission, STS- 106, the ISS has been prepared for the arrival of the first long-term occupation. In this case, batteries, current transformer, a toilet and other technical systems on the ISS were installed. Overall, Atlantis brought together more than three tons of supplies to the station. In a spacewalk cables were laid between the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module and the Space Station.

STS -118

In August 2007 Mastracchio led with STS- 118 by his second spaceflight. He had to actually break into a outdoor use prematurely, in which he had cut three of five layers of his glove on a broken handle.

STS -131

On 5 December 2008 Mastracchio was named as Mission Specialist for mission STS -131. The launch took place on April 5, 2010, the landing on April 20, 2010. Together with Clayton Anderson, he performed three spacewalks.

ISS Expeditions 38/39

Mastracchio was nominated in February 2011 for the ISS Expeditions 38 and 39 as a flight engineer. Since November 7, 2013, operates six months aboard the International Space Station.

Private

Mastracchio is married and has three children.