NEIL W. WOODWARD III (COMMANDER, USN)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born July 26, 1962 in Chicago, Illinois. Married. Enjoys 

reading, computers, sailing, music, wine and cooking. His father, Dr. Neil W. 

Woodward Jr., resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His mother, Aileen S. 

Woodward, is deceased.

EDUCATION: Putnam City High School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1980.

B.S., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984.

M.A., Physics, University of Texas at Austin, 1988.

Masters in Engineering Management, The George Washington 

University, 2000.

ORGANIZATIONS: United States Naval Institute, Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity, 

Association of Space Entrepreneurs.

AWARDS: Distinguished Graduate, US Naval Test Pilot School; Empire Test Pilot School Award for Best Developmental 

Test Thesis, USNTPS. Awarded two Navy Commendation Medals; two Navy Achievement Medals; various other service 

awards. Awarded Texas Business Hall of Fame fellowship, 2000.

EXPERIENCE: Woodward graduated from MIT in June 1984, with a degree in Physics. He attended graduate school at the 

University of Texas at Austin, working in the Center for Relativity and then the Fusion Research Center. His thesis research 

involved using optical spectroscopy to investigate neoclassical plasma rotation in the Texas Experimental Tokamak fusion 

reactor. He received his Master’s degree in 1988 and joined the US Navy, reporting to Aviation Officer Candidate School in 

Pensacola, Florida. He was commissioned in January 1989, and earned his wings as a Naval Flight Officer in March 1990. He 

reported to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, where he completed initial Bombardier/Navigator training in the A-6E Intruder 

and was then assigned to the Green Lizards of Attack Squadron 95. Woodward made two deployments with VA-95 aboard the 

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in support of Operations Desert Storm (post-cease fire), Southern Watch, and Somalia. He 

was then assigned to the Naval Strike Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, where he served as Weaponeering Officer and 

Contingency Cell Officer. In 1995, he was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent 

River, Maryland, and graduated with distinction in July 1996. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Air Vehicle/Stores 

Compatibility Department at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron in Patuxent River. While at NSATS, he cross-trained in 

the F/A-18 Hornet and tested stores and systems for the F/A-18B, F/A-18D, and F/A-18F aircraft. Woodward was assigned to 

the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron when he was selected for the astronaut program.

Woodward has logged over 1,700 flight hours in more than 25 different aircraft and has 265 arrested landings.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Astronaut Candidate 

Training included orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle 

and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as 

learning water and wilderness survival techniques. From July 2004 to July 2008 Woodward was on detached duty to 

Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in various roles, including Director of the ESMD Integration 

Office and Director, Commercial Orbital Transportation Services. He retired from the Navy and NASA in October 2008, and 

currently works in the information technology field. 

OCTOBER 2008

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