Kenneth S . Reightler , Jr . Kenneth Stanley Reightler , Jr . ( born March 24 , 1951 ) is a former NASA astronaut . Reightler was born in Patuxent River , Maryland , but considers Virginia Beach , Virginia , to be his hometown . Married to the former Maureen Ellen McHenry , a psychotherapist ; they have two daughters . He enjoys sailing , reading , music , hiking , and travel . His parents , Mr . & Mrs . Kenneth S . Reightler , Sr . , reside in Virginia Beach . Maureen ' s mother , Mrs . Jean W . McHenry and her father , Commander William H . McHenry ( USN ) are deceased . He graduated from Bayside High School , Virginia Beach , in 1969 , and received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from United States Naval Academy in 1973 . He received master of science degrees in 1984 , in aeronautical engineering from the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School and in systems management from University of Southern California . Organizations . Member , Society of Experimental Test Pilots ( SETP ) ; Association of Space Explorers ; U . S . Naval Academy Alumni Association ; National Aeronautic Association ; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics ; American Astronautical Society . Special honors . Defense Superior Service Medal ; Legion of Merit ; Defense Meritorious Service Medal ; Navy Commendation Medal ; Navy Unit Commendation ; Meritorious Unit Commendation ; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ; National Defense Service Medal ; NASA Exceptional Service Medal ; two NASA Space Flight Medal s ; Johnson Space Center Certificate of Commendation ; NASA Group Achievement Award ; INTELSAT EVA Recovery Team Award . Distinguished graduate , U . S . Naval Academy and U . S . Naval Test Pilot School . Absolute world altitude record for Class P aero - spacecraft . Mac Short Award in Aviation from U . S . Naval Academy ( 1973 ) . Distinguished Alumni Award from U . S . Naval Postgraduate School . George M . Low Award . Member , Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame . Challenger Seven Award from the Challenger Center for Space Science Education . Reightler is an Eagle Scout . He also appeared on the Barney and Friends home video " Barney In Outer Space " , and the film , " To Be an Astronaut . " He was a technical advisor for the film , " Apollo 13 . " Experience . Reightler was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1974 at Corpus Christi , Texas . After replacement pilot training in the P - 3C airplane , he reported to Patrol Squadron 16 ( VP - 16 ) in Jacksonville , Florida , serving as both a mission commander and patrol plane commander . He made deployments to Keflavík , Iceland , and to Sigonella , Sicily . Following jet transition training , Reightler attended the U . S . Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River , Maryland . Upon graduation in 1978 , he remained at the Naval Air Test Center where he served as test pilot and project officer for a variety of flight test programs involving the P - 3 , S - 3 , and T - 39 airplanes . He later returned to the Test Pilot School , serving as a flight test instructor and safety officer flying the P - 3 , T - 2 , OV - 1 , T - 39 , and TA - 7 airplanes . In June 1981 Reightler was assigned to the as communications officer and carrier on - board delivery pilot , making two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea . Selected for postgraduate education , he attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey , California . Redesignated an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer ( AEDO ) , he was sent to transition training for the F / A - 18 airplane with Strike Fighter Squadron 125 ( VFA - 125 ) at NAS Lemoore , California . He then reported for duty at the Test Pilot School in March 1985 , serving as the chief flight instructor until his selection for the astronaut program . He has logged over 5 , 000 hours flying time in over 60 different types of aircraft . NASA Experience . Selected by NASA in June 1987 , Reightler began a year of astronaut candidate training and became an astronaut in August 1988 . From September 12 – 18 , 1991 , he was the pilot on the crew of STS - 48 . This was the first Space Shuttle flight in support of " Mission to Planet Earth . " During the five - day mission , the crew aboard the successfully deployed the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite ( UARS ) , designed to provide scientists with their first complete data set on the upper atmosphere ' s chemistry , winds and energy inputs . The crew also conducted numerous secondary experiments ranging from growing protein crystals , to studying how fluids and structures react in weightlessness . After 81 orbits of the Earth , " Discovery " landed at Edwards Air Force Base , California . More recently , Reightler served as pilot on STS - 60 , the first joint U . S . / Russian Space Shuttle Mission . Launching from the Kennedy Space Center on February 3 , 1994 , STS - 60 was the first flight of the Wake Shield Facility ( WSF - 1 ) and the second flight of the SpaceHab ( Spacehab - 2 ) . During the eight - day flight , the crew of " Discovery " , including Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev , conducted a wide variety of biological , materials science , earth observation , and life science experiments . Following 130 orbits of the Earth , STS - 60 landed at Kennedy Space Center , Florida , on February 11 , 1994 . With the completion of his second mission , Reightler has logged over 327 hours in space . His technical assignments to date have included : Chief of the Astronaut Office Space Station Branch ; Chief of the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch ; Lead Spacecraft Communicator ( CAPCOM ) ; Lead Astronaut for flight software development and computer systems ; Flight Crew Operations Directorate representative to the Program Requirements Control Board ; weather coordinator for Space Shuttle launches and landings ; Astronaut Office representative in the areas of ascent , entry , and aborts . Corporate Experience . In 1995 , Reightler left NASA and retired from the U . S . Navy with the rank of Captain . He joined Lockheed Martin as the Program Manager for the Engineering , Test , and Analysis contract at the Johnson Space Center . He was then promoted to Vice President of the Science , Engineering , Analysis , and Test ( SEAT ) Operation providing engineering and science services to NASA and other government and foreign customers , including the prime engineering and science contract at the Johnson Space Center . In 2001 , he was promoted to Senior Vice President ( COO ) of Lockheed Martin Space Operations , the corporation ' s organization responsible for providing technical services ( engineering , science , and operations ) to the Civil Space business sector and related government and foreign customers . He held a dual assignment as Vice President and Program Manager for NASA ' s Consolidated Space Operations Contract ( CSOC ) for the final year and one half of the contract . CSOC was responsible for managing all of NASA ' s communication and data services including the Deep Space Network , Space Network , Ground Network and Mission Control Centers . Reightler was promoted to President of Lockheed Martin Space Operations in 2004 . During this period , he was successful in creating internal partnerships within Lockheed Martin that resulted in winning several important NASA competitions including the NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle ( Orion ) contract . With this win , he took the opportunity to transfer within Lockheed Martin from technical services to development . In December 2006 Reightler became the Vice President , NASA Program Integration for the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co . , Human Space Flight . Reightler left Lockheed Martin in February 2011 to become the Vice President , Engineering Services for ATK Space Systems Division . In August 2012 he left ATK to join the faculty of the U . S . Naval Academy . He continues to be an independent aerospace and business consultant to government and commercial organizations . Academic Experience . In 2012 , Reightler was selected as the Robert A . Heinlein Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the U . S . Naval Academy .