Kent Rominger Kent Vernon " Rommel " Rominger ( born August 7 , 1956 ) is a former American astronaut , former NASA Chief of the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center , and a Captain in the United States Navy . He joined ATK Launch Systems Group in 2006 as Vice President of Advanced Programs . History . Kent Rominger was born in Del Norte , Colorado . He graduated from Del Norte High School in 1974 . In 1978 , he received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Colorado State University , and in 1987 a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School . He is a member of the Association of Space Explorers , the Society of Experimental Test Pilots , the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics , the Association of Naval Aviation , and the Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Society . He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal . He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U . S . Naval Test Pilot School and was the Naval Air Test Center Test Pilot of the Year in 1988 . He received the Society of Experimental Test Pilots Ray E . Tenhoff Award in 1990 , the Jack Northrop Award in 1996 , and the Colorado State University Distinguished Service Award in 1997 . He was named West Coast Tomcat Fighter Pilot of the Year in 1992 and was listed in the Top Ten Carrier Landing Distinction in Airwings Two and Nine . In 2000 He was nominated and inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame . Rominger received his commission through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate ( AVROC ) Program in 1979 , and was designated a Naval Aviator in September 1980 . Following training in the F - 14 Tomcat , he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 2 ( VF - 2 ) from October 1981 to January 1985 aboard the USS " Ranger " and USS " Kitty Hawk " . While assigned to VF - 2 , Rominger attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School ( TOPGUN ) . In 1987 he completed the Naval Postgraduate School / Test Pilot School Cooperative Program , and was assigned as F - 14 Project Officer to the Carrier Suitability Branch of the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate at Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland . During his tour of duty , Rominger completed the initial carrier suitability sea trials of the F - 14B , logging the first aircraft carrier arrestment and catapult launch in the upgraded Tomcat . In September 1990 , he reported to Fighter Squadron 211 ( VF - 211 ) , where he served as Operations Officer and completed a Desert Storm Deployment to the Persian Gulf aboard USS " Nimitz " . He has logged over 5 , 000 flying hours in over 35 types of aircraft and 685 carrier landings . Selected by NASA in March 1992 , Rominger reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992 . He completed one year of training and qualified for assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flight crews . Rominger was initially assigned to work technical issues for the Astronaut Office Operations Development Branch . He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch , and Deputy Director , Flight Crew Operations . A veteran of five space flights , Rominger has logged over 1 , 600 hours in space . He flew as pilot on STS - 73 in 1995 , STS - 80 in 1996 and STS - 85 in 1997 , and was crew commander on STS - 96 in 1999 and STS - 100 in 2001 . Rominger served as Chief of the Astronaut Office and professional head of the NASA Astronaut Corps from 2002 to 2006 , responsible for the mission preparation activities of all Space Shuttle and future International Space Station crews and their support personnel . He and his wife Mary Sue have one child . Space flight experience . STS - 73 in Space Shuttle " Columbia " ( October 20 to November 5 , 1995 ) was the second United States Microgravity Laboratory mission . The mission focused on materials science , biotechnology , combustion science , fluid dynamics , and numerous scientific experiments housed in the pressurized Spacelab module . In completing his first space flight , Rominger orbited the Earth 256 times , traveled over 6 million miles , and logged a total of 15 days , 21 hours , and 52 minutes in space . STS - 80 , also in " Columbia " ( November 19 to December 7 , 1996 ) was a 17 - day mission during which the crew deployed and retrieved the Wake Shield Facility ( WSF ) and the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer ( ORFEUS ) satellites . The free - flying WSF created a super vacuum in its wake and grew thin film wafers for use in semiconductor s and other high - tech electrical components . The ORFEUS instruments , mounted on the reusable Shuttle Pallet Satellite , studied the origin and makeup of stars . In completing his second space flight , Rominger orbited the earth a record 278 times , traveled over 7 million miles and logged 17 days , 15 hours and 53 minutes in space . STS - 85 in Space Shuttle " Discovery " ( August 7 – 19 , 1997 ) was a 12 - day mission during which the crew deployed and retrieved the CRISTA - SPAS satellite , operated the Japanese Manipulator Flight Demonstration ( MFD ) robotic arm , studied changes in the Earth ' s atmosphere and tested technology destined for use on the future International Space Station . The mission was accomplished in 189 Earth orbits , traveling 4 . 7 million miles in 11 days , 20 hours and 27 minutes . STS - 96 , also in " Discovery " , ( May 27 to June 6 , 1999 ) was a 10 - day mission during which the crew delivered 4 tons of logistics and supplies to the International Space Station in preparation for the arrival of the first crew to live on the station . The mission included the first docking of a Space Shuttle to the International Space Station and was accomplished in 153 Earth orbits , traveling 4 million miles in 9 days , 19 hours and 13 minutes . STS - 100 , in Space Shuttle " Endeavour " ( April 19 to May 1 , 2001 ) was a 12 - day mission during which the crew installed the Canadian - built Robotic Arm and the Rafaello Logistics Module to the International Space Station . " Endeavour " was docked 8 - days on the most complex robotics flight in the history of the Space Shuttle program and was made up of a very diverse international crew , representing the United States , Russia , Canada and Italy . The mission was completed in 187 Earth orbits , traveling 4 . 9 million miles in 11 days , 21 hours and 30 minutes .