JAMES F. BUCHLI (COLONEL, USMC, RET.) 

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born June 20, 1945, in New Rockford, North Dakota, but also 

considers Fargo, North Dakota, as his hometown. Married to the former Jean Oliver of 

Pensacola, Florida. Two grown children. Recreational interests include skiing, scuba 

diving, hunting, fishing, and racquetball. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Buchli, 

reside in Fargo, North Dakota. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James O. Oliver, reside in 

Pensacola, Florida.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Fargo Central High School, Fargo, North Dakota, in 

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

United States Naval Academy in 1967 and a master of science degree in Aeronautical 

Engineering Systems from the University of West Florida in 1975.

ORGANIZATIONS: Associate member of Naval Academy Alumni, American 

Legion, Association of Space Explorers, and American Geophysical Union.

SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Defense Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four 

NASA Space Flight Medals, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy 

Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation, a Meritorious Unit 

Citation, and a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with the Silver Star. 

EXPERIENCE: Buchli received his commission in the United States Marine Corps following graduation from the United 

States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1967. He graduated from U.S. Marine Corps Basic Infantry Course and was 

subsequently sent to the Republic of Vietnam for a 1-year tour of duty, where he served as Platoon Commander, 9th Marine 

Regiment, and then as Company Commander and Executive Officer, "B" Company, 3rd Company, 3rd Reconnaissance 

Battalion. He returned to the United States in 1969 for naval flight officer training at Pensacola, Florida, and spent the next 2 

years assigned to Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 122, at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and Iwakuni, Japan; and in 1973, he proceeded

to duty with Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 115 at Namphong, Thailand, and Iwakuni, Japan. Upon completing this tour of 

duty, he again returned to the United States and participated in the Marine Advanced Degree Program at the University of West

Florida. He was assigned subsequently to Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 312 at the Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, 

South Carolina, and in 1977, to the U.S. Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland.

He has logged over 4,200 hours flying time -- 4,000 hours in jet aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Buchli became a NASA astronaut in August 1979. He was a member of the support crew for STS-1

and STS-2, and On-Orbit CAPCOM for STS-2. A veteran of four space flights, Buchli has orbited the earth 319 times, 

traveling 7.74 million miles in 20 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes, 32 seconds. He served as a mission specialist on 

STS-51C (January 24-27, 1985), STS-61A (October 30 to November 6, 1985), STS-29 (March 13-18, 1989), and STS-48 

(Sep 12-18, 1991). From March 1989 till May 1992 he also served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. 

On 1 September 1992 Buchli retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and the NASA Astronaut Office to accept a position as 

Manager, Space Station Systems Operations and Requirements with Boeing Defense and Space Group, Huntsville, Alabama. In 

April 1993, he was reassigned as Boeing Deputy for Payload Operations, Space Station Freedom Program. Buchli currently 

serves as Operations & Utilization Manager for Space Station, Boeing Defense and Space Group, Houston, Texas.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS 51-C Discovery, was the first dedicated Department of Defense mission. Launched 

January 24, 1985, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, STS-51C performed its DOD mission which included deployment of a 

modified Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) vehicle from the Space Shuttle. Landing occurred on January 27, 1985, after slightly more 

than three days on orbit. Mission duration was 73 hours, 33 minutes, 27 seconds.

- more -

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058 
STS-61A Challenger (October 30 to Novenber 6, 1985) was a West German D-1 Spacelab mission, the first to carry eight crew 

members, the largest crew to fly in space, and the first in which payload activities were controlled from outside the United 

States. More than 75 scientific experiments were completed in the areas of physiological sciences, materials processing, 

biology, and navigation. Mission duration was 168 hours, 44 minutes, 51 seconds. 

STS-29 Discovery (March 13-18, 1989) was a highly successful five day mission during which the crew deployed a Tracking 

and Data Relay Satellite, and performed numerous secondary experiments, including a space station "heat pipe" radiator 

experiment, two student experiments, a protein crystal growth experiment, and a chromosome and plant cell division 

experiment. In addition, the crew took over 3,000 photographs of the earth using several types of cameras, including the IMAX 

70 mm movie camera. Mission duration was 119 hours, 39 minutes, 40 seconds. 

STS-48 Discovery (September 12-18, 1991) was a five day mission during which the crew deployed the Upper Atmosphere 

Research Satellite (UARS) designed to provide scientists with their first complete data set on the upper atmosphere's chemistry, 

winds and energy inputs. The crew also conducted numerous secondary experiments ranging from growing protein crystals, to 

studying how fluids and structures react in weightlessness. Mission duration was 128 hours, 27 minutes; 34 seconds. 

DECEMBER 1993

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