http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/robert-shane-kimbrough http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

January 2022

R. Shane Kimbrough

(Col., U.S. Army, Ret.) NASA Astronaut

Summary:

Shane Kimbrough was selected by NASA in 2004. He completed his first spaceflight in 2008 on STS-126, where he spent 

almost 16 days on the mission to expand the crew living quarters to accommodate a six-member crew on the 

International Space Station (ISS). He performed two spacewalks during this mission. On his second spaceflight, 

Kimbrough launched to the ISS on the Russian Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 

This mission lasted 173 days as part of Expeditions 49 and 50, where he performed four spacewalks and numerous 

science and maintenance activities. He most recently served as commander of the NASA/SpaceX Crew-2 Dragon 

spacecraft, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once on the ISS, Kimbrough served as Flight 

Engineer of Expedition 65/66. He performed three spacewalks during the 199-day mission. Kimbrough now has a total 

of 388 days in space.

Personal Data:

Born June 4, 1967, in Killeen, Texas. Married to the former Robbie Lynn Nickels of Marietta, Georgia. They have three 

children. He enjoys baseball, golf, weightlifting and running. 

Education:

Graduated from The Lovett School, Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace 

Engineering from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1989 and a Master of Science degree 

in Operations Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1998.

Experience:

Kimbrough graduated from West Point in May 1989 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He 

entered the U.S. Army Aviation School in 1989 and was designated an Army aviator in 1990. In late 1990, he was 

assigned to the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and was deployed to Southwest Asia, where 

he served in Operation Desert Storm. He served in the 24th Infantry Division as an attack helicopter platoon leader, 

aviation liaison officer and attack helicopter battalion operations officer. In 1994, he was assigned to the 229th Aviation 

Regiment (Attack) (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he commanded an Apache helicopter company as 

well as the Regimental headquarters company. After completing a Masters of Science degree at the Georgia Institute of 

Technology in 1998, he was assigned as an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the 

United States Military Academy. Other military schools include the Army Parachutist Course, Army Jumpmaster Course, 

German Airborne Course, the Combined Arms Services Staff School and the Command and General Staff College.

NASA Experience:

Kimbrough joined the NASA team at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in September 2000. He was assigned to NASA’s 

Aircraft Operations Division at Ellington Field in Houston, where he served as a Flight Simulation Engineer (FSE) on the 

Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). 
http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/robert-shane-kimbrough http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts

R. Shane Kimbrough

Kimbrough was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 2004. In February 2006, he completed Astronaut 

Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International 

Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training and water and wilderness survival training. Completion 

of this initial training qualified him for various technical assignments within the Astronaut Office and future flight 

assignment as a Mission Specialist. Kimbrough completed his first spaceflight in 2008, logging a total of 15 days, 20 

hours, 29 minutes and 37 seconds in space and 12 hours and 52 minutes in two spacewalks. Kimbrough served as the 

Chief of the Vehicle Integration Test Office (VITO) from June 2013 to June 2014 in the Flight Crew Operations Directorate 

as well as serving as the Robotics Branch Chief for the Astronaut Office. Kimbrough served as the Chief of the Vehicle 

Integration Test Office (VITO) in NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) from 2018-2020.

Spaceflight Experience:

STS-126 Endeavour (November 14 to November 30, 2008) launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 

and returned to Edwards Air Force Base, California. It was NASA’s 4th shuttle flight in 2008 and the 27th shuttle/station 

assembly mission. Highlights of the almost 16-day mission included expanding the living quarters of the space station to 

eventually house six-member crews by delivering a new bathroom, kitchen, two bedrooms, an exercise machine and a 

water recycling system. During the mission, Kimbrough performed two spacewalks, logging a total of 12 hours and 52 

minutes. STS-126 also delivered a new resident to the station, replacing Greg Chamitoff, Expedition 17/18, with Sandy 

Magnus, Expedition 18. STS-126 returned to Earth after completing 250 orbits in over 6 million miles.

Kimbrough launched on October 19, 2016, as part of Expedition 49/50. He became the Commander of the International 

Space Station a week after he reached the ISS and remained so until he departed almost six months later. During 

Expedition 50, Kimbrough performed four spacewalks, logging over 26 hours. This increased his total to six spacewalks 

and over 39 hours outside the orbiting laboratory. Expedition 50 also experienced the arrival of five visiting vehicle 

spacecraft, which delivered thousands of pounds of experiments, supplies, and hardware to the ISS. Kimbrough and his 

two Russian cosmonaut crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko returned to Earth on the steppes of 

Kazakhstan on April 10th, 2017 to conclude their 173-day mission. The mission completed 2,770 orbits of the Earth 

covering more than 80 million miles.

Kimbrough’s third flight launched on April 23, 2021. He served as the Commander of the NASA/SpaceX Crew-2 mission 

to the ISS in the Crew Dragon spacecraft. During his time on ISS, Kimbrough served as a Flight Engineer of Expedition 

65/66. He contributed to numerous activities while aboard the station including a host of scientific investigations, 

technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities. Kimbrough performed three spacewalks on this flight bringing 

his total to nine and over 59 hours of time outside of the ISS. This flight lasted 199 days, completed 3,190 orbits of the 

Earth, and covered over 84 million miles. Kimbrough now has logged 388 days in space, and he became the fourth 

person to fly on three different spacecraft. 

Awards/Honors:

Captain of the West Point baseball team; First Team All-Conference Pitcher; Distinguished Graduate from the U.S. Army 

flight school; Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; NASA Space Flight Medal; Army Meritorious Service 

Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Southwest Asia Service 

Medal; Kuwaiti Liberation Medal; Saudi Arabian Kuwaiti Liberation Medal; Valorous Unit Award; Military Outstanding 

Volunteer Service Medal; Master Astronaut Badge; Master Aviator Badge; Master Space Badge; NASA Outstanding 

Leadership Medal; inducted into the Georgia Military Hall of Fame in 2021.
http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/robert-shane-kimbrough http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts

R. Shane Kimbrough

Organizations: 

Army Aviation Association of America; United States Military Academy Association of Graduates; Army Athletic 

Association; West Point Society of Greater Houston; Association of the United States Army.

Pronunciation:

SH-ain KIM-bro