Robert Curbeam Robert Lee Curbeam , Jr . ( born March 5 , 1962 ) is a former NASA astronaut and captain in the United States Navy . Curbeam graduated from Woodlawn High School , Baltimore County , Maryland in 1980 . He earned a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1984 , a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1990 , and a master ' s degree in astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991 . He is a member of the U . S . Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Association of Old Crows . Curbeam was named Fighter Wing One Radar Intercept Officer of the Year in 1989 and received the U . S . Naval Test Pilot School Best Developmental Thesis ( DT - II ) Award . He currently holds the record for the most spacewalks during a single spaceflight . During the STS - 116 mission , Curbeam completed four spacewalks . Naval career . Upon graduation from the U . S . Naval Academy , Curbeam commenced Naval Flight Officer training in 1984 . In 1986 he reported to Fighter Squadron 11 ( VF - 11 ) and made overseas deployments to the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas , and the Arctic and Indian Oceans on board the . During his tour in VF - 11 , he also attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School ( TOPGUN ) . Upon graduation of United States Naval Test Pilot School in December 1991 , he reported to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate , where he was the project officer for the F - 14 A / B Air - to - Ground Weapons Separation Program . In August 1994 , he returned to the U . S . Naval Academy as an instructor in the Weapons and Systems Engineering Department . NASA career . Selected by NASA in December 1994 , Curbeam reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995 . After completing a year of training and evaluation , he was assigned to the Computer Support Branch in the Astronaut Office . He is a veteran of three space flights : STS - 85 in 1997 , STS - 98 in 2001 , STS - 116 in 2006 , and has logged over 901 hours in space , including over 45 hours during three spacewalks . Between the first two flights , Curbeam served as a spacecraft communicator ( CAPCOM ) responsible for relaying all voice communication between Mission Control and crews aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station . After his second flight , he also served as the CAPCOM Branch Chief . During the spring of 2002 , he served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance , at NASA Headquarters , Washington , D . C . Spaceflight experience . STS - 85 ( August 7 – 19 , 1997 ) was a 12 - day mission during which the crew deployed and retrieved the CRISTA - SPAS payload , 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 orbit s , traveling 4 . 7 million miles in 284 hours and 27 minutes . STS - 98 ( February 7 – 20 , 2001 ) continued the task of building and enhancing the International Space Station by delivering the U . S . laboratory module Destiny . The Shuttle spent seven days docked to the station while Destiny was attached . In helping to complete its assembly Curbeam logged over 19 EVA hours in 3 space walks . The crew also relocated a docking port , and delivered supplies and equipment to the resident Expedition 1 crew . Mission duration was 12 days , 21 hours , 20 minutes . STS - 116 ( December 9 – 22 , 2006 ) , launched December 9 , 2006 at 8 : 47 p . m . EST , was a mission to the International Space Station . The mission involved the installation of a new truss segment , and the rewiring of the station ' s electrical system . They also returned ISS Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter to Earth after six months in space . Astronaut Sunita Williams remained on board the space station . During the mission astronaut Curbeam was the EVA crewmember for the record - breaking four spacewalks , three of which were conducted along with astronaut Christer Fuglesang ( Sweden ) , and one along with astronaut Sunita Williams . Along with rewiring the station ' s electrical system , Curbeam and Fuglesang aided in the retraction of a sticking solar array on December 18 , 2006 . In performing this unexpected fourth EVA to aid in the retraction of the array , Curbeam became the first person to perform four spacewalks on a single mission . After NASA . On December 7 , 2007 , NASA announced that Curbeam had chosen to leave NASA after 13 years , to pursue a job in the private sector . He presently works for Raytheon as Vice President of Mission Assurance in Massachusetts .