FREDERICK D. GREGORY (COLONEL, USAF, RET.) 

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born January 7, 1941, in Washington, D.C. His wife, the former 

Barbara Archer of Washington, D.C., is deceased. They have two grown children. 

Frederick, D., Jr., is a Captain in the Air Force, and a graduate of Stanford University. 

Heather Lynn is a social worker and graduate of Sweet Briar College. Recreational 

interests include water skiing, fishing, hunting, specialty cars, and stereo equipment.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Anacostia High School, Washington, D.C., in 1958; 

received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Air Force Academy in 1964, 

and a master’s degree in information systems from George Washington University in 

1977.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Order of 

Daedalians, American Helicopter Society, Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, 

the Air Force Association, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the National Technical Association, 

and the Tuskegee Airmen. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Young Astronaut Council, the Challenger Center for Space 

Science Education, and the Virginia Air and Space Center-Hampton Roads History Center.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Defense Meritorious 

Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, 16 Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and 3 NASA Space Flight 

Medals. Recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Award; the National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished National 

Scientist Award (1979); an honorary doctor of science degree from the University of the District of Columbia (1986); and the 

George Washington University Distinguished Alumni Award. Designated an "Ira Eaker Fellow" by the Air Force Association. 

Recipient of numerous NASA group and individual achievement awards as well as civic and community awards.

EXPERIENCE: After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1964, Gregory entered pilot training and 

attended undergraduate helicopter training at Stead Air Force Base, Nevada. He received his wings in 1965 and was assigned as 

an H-43 helicopter rescue pilot at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, from October 1965 until May 1966. In June 1966, he was assigned as 

an H-43 combat rescue pilot at Danang AB, Vietnam. When he returned to the United States in July 1967, he was assigned as a 

missile support helicopter pilot flying the UH-1F at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. In January 1968, Gregory was retrained as a fixedwing pilot flying the T-38 at Randolph AFB, Texas. He was then assigned to the F-4 Phantom Combat Crew Training Wing at 

Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Gregory attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, 

Maryland, from September 1970 to June 1971. Following completion of this training, he was assigned to the 4950th Test Wing, 

Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, as an operational test pilot flying fighters and helicopters. In June 1974, Gregory was detailed to the 

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. He served as a research test pilot at Langley until selected for the Astronaut 

Program in January 1978. Gregory has logged more than 6,976 hours flying time in over 50 types of aircraft -- including 550 

combat missions in Vietnam. He holds an FAA commercial and instrument certificate for single- and multi-engine airplanes and 

helicopters. He has authored or co-authored several papers in the areas of aircraft handling qualities and cockpit design.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Gregory was selected as an astronaut in January 1978. His technical assignments included: Astronaut 

Office representative at the Kennedy Space Center during initial Orbiter checkout and launch support for STS-1 and STS-2; Flight 

Data File Manager; lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM); Chief, Operational Safety, NASA Headquarters, Washington, 

D.C.; Chief, Astronaut Training; and a member of the Orbiter Configuration Control Board and the Space Shuttle Program 

Control Board. A veteran of three Shuttle missions he has logged over 455 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-51B (April 

29 to May 6, 1985), and was the spacecraft commander on STS-33 (November 22-27, 1989), and STS-44 (November 24 to 

December 1, 1991). Gregory served at NASA Headquarters as Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission

Assurance (1992-2001), Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight (2001-2002), and NASA Deputy Administrator

(2002-2005). Gregory resigned from NASA in October 2005.

- more -

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-51B/Spacelab-3 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 29, 1985. The 

crew aboard the Orbiter Challenger included spacecraft commander, Robert Overmyer; mission specialists, Norman Thagard, 

William Thornton, and Don Lind; and payload specialists, Taylor Wang and Lodewijk Vandenberg. On this second flight of the 

laboratory developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the crew conducted a broad range of scientific experiments ranging 

from space physics to the suitability of animal-holding facilities. The crew also deployed the Northern Utah Satellite (NUSAT). 

After seven days of around-the-clock scientific operations, Challenger and its laboratory cargo landed on the dry lakebed at 

Edwards AFB, California, on May 6, 1985. Mission duration was 168 hours, 8 minutes, 47seconds.

STS-33 launched at night, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 22, 1989. On board the Orbiter Discovery, 

Gregory’s crew included the pilot, John Blaha, and three mission specialists, Manley (Sonny) Carter, Story Musgrave, and 

Kathryn Thornton. The mission carried Department of Defense payloads and other secondary payloads. After 79 orbits of the 

Earth, this five-day mission concluded on November 27, 1989, with a hard surface landing on Runway 04 at Edwards AFB, 

California. Mission duration was 120 hours, 7 minutes, 32 seconds.

STS-44 launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 24, 1991. During 110 orbits of the Earth, the 

crew successfully deployed their prime payload, the Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite. They worked on a variety of 

secondary payloads ranging from the Military Man in Space experiment designed to evaluate the ability of a space borne observer 

to gather information about ground troops, equipment and facilities, and also participated in extensive studies evaluating medical 

countermeasures to long duration space flight. The crew aboard the Orbiter Atlantis included the pilot Tom Henricks; three 

mission specialists, Story Musgrave, Jim Voss, and Mario Runco Jr.; and payload specialist Tom Hennen. The mission concluded

on December 1, 1991, with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Mission duration was 166 hours, 50 minutes, 42 

seconds.

MAY 2008

This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.