Pale NASA Chief Astronaut Patrick Forrester Retires

July 3, 2024

RELEASE: J24-011

NASA astronaut Patrick G. Forrester retired June 29, after a profession spanning 31 years of service and three spaceflights. He went on to turn out to be chief of NASA’s Astronaut Set of job, and most currently served as an manual to the partner administrator for the Home Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Forrester joined the company in 1993 as an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Johnson Home Heart in Houston and became as soon as selected to turn out to be an astronaut in 1996. He devoted his early profession to the assembly of the Global Home Blueprint, spending 40 days in condominium and ending four spacewalks totaling 25 hours and 30 minutes.

“Pat’s dedication and commitment to the advancement of human condominium exploration true by the final three a protracted time has been an inspiration, no longer true to the Johnson workforce, nonetheless the Artemis period as effectively,” acknowledged NASA’s Johnson Home Heart Director Vanessa Wyche. “I wish to prolong my trusty gratitude to Pat for his prominent contributions. His legacy will continue to electrify the company and the following period of explorers for many future years. Many congratulations to Pat; I wish him the total most entertaining in his retirement.”

Forrester launched to the condominium situation for the principle time in August 2001 aboard condominium shuttle Discovery in enhance of STS-105. Forrester became as soon as the mission’s prime robotics operator, helping to install the Leonardo Multi-Cause Logistics Module that would inspire bring 2.7 metric heaps of offers to the location. He flew again with STS-117 in June 2007 aboard condominium shuttle Atlantis, turning in the orbiting laboratory’s second starboard truss and its third space of picture voltaic arrays. His closing spaceflight, STS-128 aboard Discovery, launched in August 2009. As prime robotics officer, Forrester again assign in Leonardo and the crew transferred 18,000 pounds of offers.

Forrester continued to enhance the astronaut corps by moderately just a few leadership positions, serving as technical assistant to the director of Flight Crew Operations. He became as soon as a crew representative of robotics pattern on the condominium situation and shuttle practicing and onboard crew procedures. Forrester furthermore held the feature of spacecraft communicator, or CAPCOM, for every situation and shuttle missions.

In 2017, Forrester grew to turn out to be chief of the Astronaut Set of job, overseeing the principle flights of NASA’s Business Crew Program and helping form the preliminary structure for the company’s Artemis campaign. In 2020, he stepped down from his chief dwelling, handing over to NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman.

“Pat’s leadership became as soon as instrumental for the period of a time where NASA became as soon as true initiating to launch our astronauts from American soil again,” acknowledged Norm Knight, director of flight operations at NASA Johnson. “I admire his courage, his tenacity, and his personality for the period of this kind of dynamic time in our history, and I thank him for laying basis, no longer true in his feature as chief astronaut, nonetheless by his profession in human spaceflight. To me, he is a mentor and a chum, and I wish him the total most entertaining.”

On the time of his retirement, Forrester supported the Home Operations Mission Directorate, serving as the director of the Scandalous-Directorate Technical Integration Set of job and an adviser to the directorate’s partner administrator and fellow NASA astronaut Ken Bowersox.

“Pat is an incredible leader who has equipped priceless service to NASA’s astronaut corps and human spaceflight for the period of his profession,” acknowledged Ken Bowersox, partner administrator for condominium operations at NASA. “In the Home Operations Mission Directorate, his affect would possibly perchance be felt long after his departure as we continue to work on each day basis in low Earth orbit and put collectively for the long flee almost about Earth, at the Moon, Mars and into the picture voltaic system.”

An El Paso, Texas, native, Forrester earned a bachelor of science level in utilized sciences and engineering from the U.S. Militia Academy, West Level, Current York, and a master of science in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the College of Virginia, Charlottesville. A retired colonel in the U.S. Military, Forrester logged extra than 5,300 hours of flight time in over 50 assorted aircraft as an operational aviator and test pilot, retiring in 2005.

“It has been an honor to relief our nation as a member of the NASA family. Quite a lot of the tales I will repeat for the relaxation of my lifestyles would possibly perchance be associated to my experiences here,” acknowledged Forrester. “I search for forward to searching at my company and colleagues circle the Moon and at final land on its flooring – with the inspire of all those serving faithfully on the ground. I am forever grateful.”

Learn Forrester’s full biography at:

https://trudge.nasa.gov/45NnfUA

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Chelsey Ballarte
Johnson Home Heart, Houston
281-483-5111
chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov