Winston E . Scott Winston Elliott Scott is a retired United States Navy Captain and former NASA astronaut . Personal . Born August 6 , 1950 , in Miami , Florida . Married to the former Marilyn K . Robinson . They have two children . He enjoys martial arts and holds a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan karate . He also enjoys music , and plays trumpet with a Houston - based Big Band . In addition to flying general aviation aircraft , he is an electronics hobbyist . Winston ' s father , Alston Scott , and his mother , Rubye Scott , are both deceased . Marilyn ' s parents , Albert and Josephine Robinson , reside in Chipley , Florida . Education . Scott attended George Carver Senior High School until integration occurred in Dade County Schools . He received a bachelor of arts degree in music from Florida State University in 1972 and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School in 1234 Organizations . American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics ; National Naval Officers Association ; Naval Helicopter Association ; Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity ; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity ; Shotokan Karate Association ; Association of International Tohgi Karate - Do ; Bronze Eagles Association of Texas . In 2007 , he received an honorary degree from Michigan State University for his work in space , which is regarded as a case study in leadership and expert communications . He also spoke at the 2007 commencements at Michigan State , encouraging students to believe in themselves and follow their dreams , because after all , anything is possible . Experience . Scott entered Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School after graduation from Florida State University in December 1972 . He completed flight training in fixed - wing and rotary - wing aircraft and was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1974 . He then served a 4 - year tour of duty with Helicopter Anti - Submarine Squadron Light 33 ( HSL - 33 ) at the Naval Air Station North Island , California , flying the SH - 2F Light Airborne Multi - Purpose System ( LAMPS ) helicopter . In 1978 Scott was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey , California , where he earned his master of science degree in aeronautical engineering with avionics . After completing jet training in the TA - 4J Skyhawk , Scott served a tour of duty with Fighter Squadron 84 ( VF - 84 ) at NAS Oceana , Virginia , flying the F - 14 Tomcat . In June 1986 Scott was designated an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer ( AEDO ) . He served as a production test pilot at the Naval Aviation Depot , NAS Jacksonville , Florida , flying the F / A - 18 Hornet and the A - 7 Corsair aircraft . He was also assigned as Director of the Product Support ( engineering ) Department . He was next assigned as the Deputy Director of the Tactical Aircraft Systems Department at the Naval Air Development Center at Warminster , Pennsylvania . As a research and development project pilot , he flew the F - 14 , F / A - 18 and A - 7 Corsair II aircraft . Scott has accumulated more than 5 , 000 hours of flight time in 20 different military and civilian aircraft , and more than 200 shipboard landings . Additionally , Scott was an associate instructor of electrical engineering at Florida A & M University and Florida Community College at Jacksonville . NASA career . Scott was selected by NASA in March 1992 , and reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992 . He served as a mission specialist on STS - 72 in 1996 and STS - 87 in 1997 , and logged a total of 24 days , 14 hours and 34 minutes in space , including three spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 26 minutes . Scott retired from NASA and the U . S . Navy at the end of July 1999 to accept a position at his alma mater , Florida State University , as Vice President for Student Affairs . Scott then served as director of the Florida Space Authority , where he attempted to promote the development of a commercial spaceport in Florida , but ultimately did not succeed . His responsibilities included the development of space - related industry and economic initiatives . He represented the State ' s interests in the development of space policies and programs and advised the Governor and Lieutenant Governor on all civil , commercial and military space matters . Scott left the Authority prior to its dissolution at the insistence of then - Governor Jeb Bush . Scott is now the Dean of the College of Aeronautics at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne , Florida . Spaceflight experience . STS - 72 " Endeavour " ( January 11 , 1996 – January 20 , 1996 ) was a 9 - day flight during which the crew retrieved the Space Flyer Unit satellite ( launched from Japan 10 - months earlier ) , deployed and retrieved the OAST - Flyer satellite , and conducted two spacewalks to demonstrate and evaluate techniques to be used in the assembly of the International Space Station . The mission was accomplished in 142 orbits of the Earth , traveling 3 . 7 million miles , and logged him a total of 214 hours and 41 seconds in space , including his first EVA of 6 hours and 53 minutes . STS - 87 " Columbia " ( November 19 , 1997 – December 5 , 1997 ) was the fourth U . S . Microgravity Payload flight , and focused on experiments designed to study how the weightless environment of space affects various physical processes , and on observations of the Sun ' s outer atmospheric layers . Scott performed two spacewalks ; the first , a 7 hour 43 minute EVA featured the manual capture of a Spartan satellite , in addition to testing EVA tools and procedures for future Space Station assembly . The second spacewalk lasted 5 hours and also featured space station assembly tests . Testing of the AERCam Sprint was conducted during his EVA . The mission was accomplished in 252 Earth orbits , traveling 6 . 5 million miles in 376 hours and 34 minutes . Scott has written a book about his experiences in space , titled " Reflections From Earth Orbit " , published by Apogee Books .