CHRISTOPHER J. “GUS” LORIA (COLONEL, USMC, RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born July 9, 1960 in Belmont, Massachusetts. His mother, Joan 

Loria, resides in Belmont, Massachusetts. His father, Robert L. Loria, is deceased.

EDUCATION: Graduate of Belmont High School (1978), and the United States Naval 

Academy Preparatory School (1979). Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering 

from the United States Naval Academy (1983). Master in Public Administration from John 

F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2004). 

ORGANIZATIONS: Harvard Alumni Association, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, 

United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Marine Corps Aviation Association, 

National Rifle Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: NASA Fellow, NASA Acquisition Improvement Award, NASA 

Group Achievement Award, Naval Test Wing Atlantic Test Pilot of the Year 1995-1996. 

Personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Meritorious Service 

Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals (One with “V”), two Air Medals (both with 

“V”), four Strike Flight Air Medals, Navy Achievement Medal.

EXPERIENCE: Loria received his commission from the Naval Academy in 1983, and was designated a Naval Aviator in July 

1988. He transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet with Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125) at Naval Air Station Lemoore, 

California, during August 1988 through August 1989. His next assignments were with Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 314 

and 101 (VMFA-314 the “Black Knights” and VMFAT-101 the “Sharpshooters”) at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, 

California. While assigned to the Black Knights he deployed to Bahrain for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm where 

he flew 42 combat missions in support of allied operations. He graduated with Class 93A from the United States Air Force 

Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California in December of 1993. January 1994 to July 1996, he was assigned to 

VX-23, the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, as an experimental test pilot. Loria 

distinguished himself in the areas of high angle of attack flight test, ordnance, flight controls and aircraft flying qualities testing 

for the F/A-18 Hornet, and aircraft departure and spin testing for the F/A-18A-D models and the NASA Dryden F/A-18 

‘HARV’ thrust vectoring aircraft.

He has 3,079 hours of flight time and has flown 32 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Previous NASA experience includes assignment as test pilot and Project Officer for the Department 

of the Navy on the X-31 Program at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards Air Force Base, California, from 

July 1994 to June 1995. 

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Loria reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. He completed two years of 

training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight assignment as a pilot. Loria had technical duties in the Astronaut Office 

with the Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs as well as an Ascent and Entry CAPCOM. Assigned as pilot 

on STS-113, Loria sustained back injuries off duty that medically grounded him and required his replacement on the crew. 

From September 2002 through July 2003 he served as the Chief Test Pilot for the Orbital Space Plane Program. Selected by 

the NASA Headquarters Executive Development Education panel, Loria graduated from the Kennedy School of Government, 

Harvard University, with a Masters in Public Administration in June of 2004. From August 2004 through February 2005 he 

was assigned as the Deputy Chief Engineer, Constellation Program at NASA Headquarters. In the fall of 2005 a NASA 

medical evaluation determined that his previous injuries disqualified him from further space flight assignments. Colonel Loria 

requested a transfer back to the United States Marine Corps and left NASA in February 2005.

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

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

February 2016

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058

Click photo for downloadable 

high-res version