Kenneth Cockrell Kenneth Dale " Taco " Cockrell ( born 9 April 1950 ) is an American astronaut and a veteran of five space shuttle missions . Pre - NASA career . Cockrell was born in Austin , Texas to Buford Dale Cockrell and Jewell Moorman . He earned a bachelor ' s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972 and received his commission in the United States Navy that same year . He also earned a master ' s in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida in 1974 . He was trained a pilot and was stationed from 1975 to 1978 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway . Cockrell then became a test pilot for several years before serving two tours of duty aboard the USS " Constellation " . In 1987 , Cockrell resigned from the Navy and joined the Aircraft Operations Division of Johnson Space Center as a research pilot . NASA Experience . Selected by NASA in January 1990 , Cockrell became an astronaut in July 1991 . His technical assignments to date include : duties in the Astronaut Office Operations Development Branch , working on landing , rollout , tires and brakes issues ; CAPCOM in Mission Control for ascent and entry ; Astronaut Office representative for Flight Data File , the numerous books of procedures carried aboard Shuttle flights . He also served as Assistant to the Chief of the Astronaut Office for Shuttle operations and hardware , Chief of the Astronaut Office Operations Development Branch , and Chief of the Astronaut Office . He served one year as Director of Operations , Russia , in Star City Russia . He served as the liaison between the Astronaut Office and the training organization at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City . Cockrell is currently the Assistant Director , Flight Crew Operations , for aircraft operations . In addition , he serves as an instructor pilot in the T - 38 airplane . A veteran of five space flights , Cockrell has logged over 1 , 560 hours in space . He served as a mission specialist on STS - 56 ( April 8 – 17 , 1993 ) , was the pilot on STS - 69 ( September 7 – 18 , 1995 ) , and was the mission commander on STS - 80 ( November 19 to December 7 , 1996 , STS - 98 ( February 7 – 20 , 2001 ) , and STS - 111 ( June 5 – 19 , 2002 ) . Cockrell was reassigned in February 2006 to Flight Crew Operations ' Aircraft Operations Division ( AOD ) at Ellington Field , as the WB - 57 High Altitude Research Program Manager . He manages NASA ' s two WB - 57F research airplanes and serves as pilot for research flights . In addition he is a T - 38 Instructor Pilot for astronaut flight training . Spaceflight Experience . STS - 56 Discovery ( April 8 – 17 , 1993 ) . STS - 56 carrying ATLAS - 2 was a nine - day mission during which the crew conducted atmospheric and solar studies in order to better understand the effect of solar activity on the Earth ’ s climate and environment . Mission duration was 9 days , 6 hours , 9 minutes , 21 seconds . STS - 69 Endeavour ( September 7 – 18 , 1995 ) . The primary objective of STS - 69 was the successful deployment and retrieval of a SPARTAN satellite and the Wake Shield Facility ( WSF ) . The WSF was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of using a free - flying platform to grow semiconductors , high temperature superconductors and other materials using the ultra - high vacuum created behind the spacecraft . Mission duration was 10 days , 20 hours , 28 minutes . STS - 80 Columbia ( November 19 to December 7 , 1996 ) . During STS - 80 the crew deployed and retrieved the Wake Shield Facility ( WSF ) and the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer ( ORFEUS ) satellites . The ORFEUS instruments , mounted on the reusable Shuttle Pallet Satellite , studied the origin and makeup of stars . Mission duration was a record breaking 17 days , 15 hours , 53 minutes . STS - 98 Atlantis ( February 9 – 20 , 2001 ) . The STS - 98 crew 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 , and three spacewalks were conducted to complete its assembly . 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 . Unacceptable weather conditions in Florida necessitated a landing at Edwards Air Force Base , California . STS - 111 Endeavour ( June 5 – 19 , 2002 ) . The STS - 111 mission delivered a new ISS resident crew and a Canadian - built mobile base for the orbiting outpost ’ s robotic arm . The crew also performed late - notice repair of the station ’ s robot arm by replacing one of the arm ’ s joints . It was the second Space Shuttle mission dedicated to delivering research equipment to the space platform . STS - 111 also brought home the Expedition - Four crew from their 6 - 1 / 2 month stay aboard the station . Mission duration was 13 days , 20 hours and 35 minutes . Unacceptable weather conditions in Florida necessitated a landing at Edwards Air Force Base , California . Personal Information . Cockrell is married to the former Gabrielle C . Avina and has three children . His recreational interests include : sport flying , snow and water skiing , and tennis .