Douglas G . Hurley Douglas Gerald Hurley ( born October 21 , 1966 ) is an engineer and NASA astronaut . He piloted Space Shuttle mission STS - 127 , which launched July 15 , 2009 . He was assigned and flew as pilot for STS - 135 , the final flight of the Space Shuttle program , in July 2011 . He is also the first Marine to fly the F / A - 18 E / F Super Hornet . Biography . Early years and education . Hurley was born on October 21 , 1966 in Endicott , New York . He graduated from the Owego Free Academy in Owego , New York in 1984 . He graduated magna cum laude with honors from Tulane University , earning his B . S . E . in civil engineering in 1988 . He was also a distinguished graduate from both Tulane ' s NROTC program and from USMC Officer Candidates School . Marine Corps career . Hurley received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Tulane University , New Orleans , Louisiana , in 1988 . After graduation , he attended The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia , and later the Infantry Officers Course . Following aviation indoctrination at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida , he entered flight training in Texas in 1989 ; he was a distinguished graduate of the U . S . Navy Pilot Training program and was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1991 . Hurley then reported to VMFAT - 101 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , California , for initial F / A - 18 Hornet training . Upon completion of training , he was assigned to VMFA ( AW ) - 225 where he made three overseas deployments to the Western Pacific . While assigned to VMFA ( AW ) - 225 , he attended the United States Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course , the Marine Division Tactics Course , and the Aviation Safety Officers Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey , California . Over his four and a half years with the “ Vikings ” , he served as the aviation safety officer and the pilot training officer . Hurley was then selected to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland , and began the course in January 1997 . After graduation in December 1997 , he was assigned to the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron ( VX - 23 ) as an F / A - 18 project officer and test pilot . At “ Strike ” , he participated in a variety of flight testing including flying qualities , ordnance separation , and systems testing and became the first Marine pilot to fly the F / A - 18 E / F Super Hornet . He was serving as the operations officer when selected for the astronaut program . Hurley has logged over 3 , 200 hours in more than 22 aircraft . NASA career . Selected as a pilot by NASA in July 2000 , Hurley reported for training in August 2000 . Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation , he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office which have included Kennedy Operations Support as a “ Cape Crusader ” where he was the lead ASP ( Astronaut Support Personnel ) for Shuttle missions STS - 107 and STS - 121 . He has also worked Shuttle landing and rollout , served on the Columbia Reconstruction Team at Kennedy Space Center and in the Exploration Branch in support of the selection of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle . More recently he served as the NASA director of operations at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City , Russia . He served as the pilot on STS - 127 , ISS Assembly Mission 2J / A , which delivered the Japanese - built Exposed Facility ( JEM - EF ) and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section ( ELM - ES ) to the International Space Station . Honors . Hurley is a recipient of the Stephen A . Hazelrigg Memorial Award for best Test Pilot / Engineer Team , Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron . He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal , two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal s , and various other service awards . He received the NASA Superior Accomplishment Award in 2004 , 2005 , 2006 and 2007 . Personal life . Hurley is married to fellow NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg . They have one son . See also . List of married couples among space travelers