Thomas J . Hennen Chief Warrant Officer 4 Thomas John Hennen ( born August 17 , 1952 ) is a United States Army warrant officer and NASA astronaut who flew aboard Space Shuttle mission STS - 44 as a Payload Specialist . Personal . Hennen was born August 17 , 1952 , in Albany , Georgia , and was raised all over the world . He now lives in Houston , Texas . Tom is married to the former Sherri Wise of Houston . Together , they have six children , Kristopher , Jessie , Karl , Kyle , Kendall , and Karli and one grandchild , Mila Michelle . He enjoys playing basketball , bowling , dancing , snorkeling , scuba diving , sky diving , traveling , and listening to music . His father , Chief Master Sergeant Carl H . Hennen ( USAF ) , and his mother , Antoinette L . Hennen , are both deceased . Education . Hennen graduated from Groveport - Madison High School in Groveport , Ohio in 1970 . He attended Urbana College in Urbana , Ohio from 1970 – 1972 on both an academic and athletic scholarship . Military career . Hennen was the first Warrant Officer within the U . S . Army and Department of Defense to have been selected as a member of a Space Shuttle flight crew . Hennen served over 24 years in the imagery intelligence field . He received extensive technical training and experience as an operational imagery analyst at both the national and tactical intelligence levels ; experience as an instructor ; training , force , and combat developer ; extensive material development and acquisition management experience — all of which combined to make him one of the most qualified imagery intelligence technicians within the Department of Defense . From 1973 to 1975 , he was assigned to the 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion , Fort Hood , Texas . During this assignment he participated in the planning , development , and conduct of major operational and force development tests and evaluations in direct support of U . S . Army and III Corps combat requirements . A small sample of these tests included : the evaluation of the effectiveness of various firing methodologies of the AH - 1 Cobra attack helicopter ; the testing and evaluation of new camouflage netting , uniforms , and painted vehicles , now in use throughout the Army ; the initial U . S . Army Remotely piloted vehicle testing ; phospherous smoke tests ; antenna mast tests ; and heat loss / energy conservations tests . During 1976 through 1978 , Hennen was assigned to the 203rd Military Intelligence Detachment . While there he served as Operations NCO and the chief of both the Tactical and Strategic Exploitation Divisions , providing imagery collection , exploitation , and intelligence support to the 1st Cavalry Division , the 2nd Armored Division , the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment , and Headquarters III Corps . Hennen was assigned to the U . S . Army Intelligence Center , Fort Huachuca , Arizona , from 1981 through 1986 . He was the project officer for the Imagery Intelligence ( IMINT ) Tactical Exploitation of National Space Capabilities Program ( TENCAP ) , responsible for developing all training requirements , concept , and doctrine . His efforts culminated in the production of multi - million dollar training programs , supporting the fielding of a variety of new systems , operating at both the tactical and national intelligence levels . During this assignment , Hennen was appointed as Department of the Army IMINT subject matter expert . He developed and managed a major project for the Office of the Secretary of Defense ; he authored the U . S . Army Radar Training Plan ; participated in the development of the TENCAP Systems Management Model ; was selected as a member of a Defense Intelligence Agency ( DIA ) team that developed the Joint Space Intelligence and Operations Course ; and represented the Army on the DIA Intelligence Training Equipment Subcommittee . In 1986 , Hennen was selected by the Commanding General of the U . S . Army Intelligence Center to represent him within the U . S . Army Space Program Office ( ASPO ) in Washington , D . C . , for those matters pertaining to TENCAP requirements , concept development , and the doctrinal and operational employment of TENCAP systems . Additionally , he participated in various Army , DOD , and National Intelligence Community working group s and subcommittees involved in TENCAP program activities . Hennen was personally responsible for managing the development and successful fielding of a state - of - the - art IMINT system to both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations . Chief Hennen ’ s efforts at ASPO were instrumental in the efficient evolution of 5 major TENCAP systems with a Life Cycle Cost in excess of $ 2 billion US dollar s , providing critical and timely intelligence in support of the requirements of the tactical commander on the extended battlefield . Astronaut career . Hennen was selected as a payload specialist candidate in September 1988 and moved back to the " Home of Military Intelligence " , Fort Huachuca , Arizona , during March 1989 to begin Terra Scout payload operations training . During August 1989 he was selected as the primary payload specialist for the Terra Scout experiment manifested on STS - 44 , and reported to NASA in 1990 to begin Payload Specialist and Space Shuttle Crew Training . Hennen became the first Warrant Officer in space , flying aboard the Space Shuttle " Atlantis " ( STS - 44 ) , which launched from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A at 6 : 44PM ( EST ) , November 24 , 1991 . He orbited the Earth 109 times , traveling 2 . 9 million miles ( 4 . 7 million km ) , before landing at Edwards Air Force Base , California on December 1 , 1991 . Hennen retired from the U . S . Army in December 1995 . He is the co - founder and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Atlantis Foundation , a non - profit organization that is both an advocate and a service provider for people with developmental disabilities . Awards and honors . Hennen has been awarded many special honors , including the Legion of Merit , Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters , Defense Superior Service Medal , Army Commendation Medal , Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster , NASA Space Flight Medal , Army Good Conduct Medal , National Defense Service Medal ; and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster . Hennen was selected on numerous occasions as Soldier and Non - Commissioned Officer ( NCO ) of the Quarter / Year by the various commands and agencies to which he was assigned during his enlisted career .