SHERWOOD C. (WOODY) SPRING (COLONEL, USA, RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born September 3, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, but 

considers Harmony, Rhode Island, to be his hometown. Married, two children. He 

enjoys flying, scuba diving, river running, skiing, and carpentry.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Ponaganset high School, Chepachet, Rhode Island, 

in 1963; received a bachelor of science degree in General Engineering from the United 

States Military Academy in 1967 and a master of science degree in Aerospace 

Engineering from the University of Arizona in 1974. Graduated from the U.S. Navy 

Test Pilot School in 1976.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the 

United States Army Association; and lifetime member of the Association of Graduates 

of the United States Military Academy.

SPECIAL HONORS: Defense Distingueshed Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, 2 Army Bronze Stars, 1 Army 

Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Army Commendations, 9 Army Air Medals, a Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, National 

Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medals, and NASA Space Flight Medal. Recipient, in 1986, of two honorary 

doctorate degrees; Doctor of Science, and Doctor of Human Letters.

EXPERIENCE: After graduation from West Point in 1967, Spring served two tours of duty in Vietnam. The first was from 

1968 to 1969 with the 101st Airborne Division. The second tour, 1970-1971, came immediately after flight school and was 

served as a helicopter pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division. Upon return, he received fixed wing training enroute to a master's 

degree program with the University of Arizona in 1974. After a short tour at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as a flight 

test engineer, he attended the Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland. He then returned to the Army's Flight Test 

Facility at Edwards AFB to complete 4 years as an experimental test pilot.

He has military and civilian experience in 25 types of airplanes and helicopters and has logged more than 3,500 hours flying 

time--including over 1,500 hours in jet aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Spring was selected as an astronaut in May 1980. His technical assignments have included software 

verification at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and Flight Simulation Laboratory; vehicle and satellite integration at 

the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for STS-5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; Astronaut Office EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) expert; and 

Space Station construction, EVA maintenance, and design. 

Spring served as a mission specialist on STS-61B which flew November 26 thru December 3, 1985. During that mission he 

was responsible for launching three communications satellites and performed two EVA's. The EVA's, which totaled more than 

12 hours, investigated Space Station construction techniques, large structure manipulation while on the end of the remote arm, 

and a time and motion study for comparison between Earth training and Space performance. With the completion of STS-61B 

he has logged a total of 165 hours in space, including over 12 hours of EVA.

Following his retirement form NASA in August 1988, Colonel Spring spent the next five years directing the Army Space 

Program Office in Washington, D.C. He retired from the Army in July, 1994, and is now an Aerospace Consultant with TASC 

(The Application Science Corporation), Inc. of Reston Virginia.

DECEMBER 1994

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

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058