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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

Biographical Data

STEPHEN N. FRICK (CAPTAIN, USN, RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT

PERSONAL DATA: Hometown: Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. Married. He enjoys hiking , skiing, and camping.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Richland High School, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania in 1982. Received a bachelor of science

degree in aerospace engineering from the US Naval Academy in 1986, and a master of science degree in aeronautical

engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1994.

ORGANIZATIONS: Society of Experimental Test Pilots, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished Flying Cross; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; 3 Navy Commendation

Medals, one with Combat V; Air Medal with 2 Strike-Flight awards; 2 Southwest Asia Service Medals; NASA

Outstanding Leadership Medal; NASA Spaceflight Medal

EXPERIENCE: Frick was commissioned upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 1986. After being

designated as a Naval Aviator in February 1988, he reported to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 at Naval Air Station Cecil

Field, Florida, for transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. Upon completion of training, he reported to Strike Fighter Squadron

83 also at Cecil Field, and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea onboard the USS Saratoga (CV-60). During

the 8-month deployment, Frick participated in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flying 26 combat missions

from the Red Sea to targets in Iraq and Kuwait. He was also designated an airwing-qualified landing signals officer.

After leaving Strike Fighter Squadron 83 in December 1991, he participated in a cooperative program with the Naval

Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and the Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River,

Maryland resulting in a master's degree in aeronautical engineering and designation as a Naval Test Pilot. Upon

graduation in June 1994, Frick was assigned as a project officer and test pilot to the Carrier Suitability Department of

the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron also located at Patuxent River. While there he conducted shore-based and shipboard

testing of the F/A-18 Hornet. Frick was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 in Lemoore, California, preparing for

return to a deployed F/A-18 squadron when selected for the astronaut program in April 1996. Captain Frick retired from

the U. S. Navy in September 2010.

He has logged more than 4,300 flight hours in 38 different aircraft, and has over 370 carrier landings.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in April 1996, Frick reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996.

After initial Space Shuttle crew training to qualify for flight assignment as a pilot, he has served in many capacities in

the Astronaut Office including lead capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for the STS-114 return to flight mission, ascent

and entry CAPCOM for multiple launches and landings, and Chief of the Safety Branch. Outside of the Astronaut

Office, Frick has served as liaison to NASA HQ for return-to-flight activities after the Columbia accident, and the Orion

Spacecraft Project Flight Crew Testing Lead. Currently he is serving as Chief of the Astronaut Office Exploration

Branch. A veteran of two spaceflights, Captain Frick has logged over 565 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-110

in 2002, and was the crew commander on STS-122 in 2008.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-110 Atlantis (April 8-19, 2002) was the 13th Shuttle mission to visit the

International Space Station. Mission milestones included delivery and installation of the S0 (S-Zero) Truss, first

maneuvering of spacewalkers using the ISS robotic arm, and the first mission on which all spacewalks were based from
Astronaut Bio: S. Frick (10/2010)

the station’s Quest Airlock. The crew prepared the station for future spacewalks and spent a week in joint operations

with the station’s Expedition-4 crew. The STS-110 mission lasted 10 days, 19 hours, and 42 minutes, and traveled 4.5

million statute miles in 171 Earth orbits.

STS-122 Atlantis (February 7-20, 2008) was the 24th Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. Mission

highlight was the delivery and installation of the European Space Agency’s Columbus Laboratory. Three spacewalks by

the Atlantis crew prepared the Columbus Laboratory for its scientific work, and replaced an expended nitrogen tank on

the Station’s P-1 Truss. STS-122 was also a crew replacement mission, delivering Expedition-16 Flight Engineer, ESA

Astronaut Léopold Eyharts and returning home with Expedition-16 Flight Engineer, NASA Astronaut Daniel Tani. The

STS-122 mission was accomplished in 12 days, 18 hours, 22 minutes, and traveled 5.3 million statute miles in 203 Earth

orbits.

OCTOBER 2010