Andrew R. Morgan launched aboard Soyuz MS-13 on July 20, 2019, beginning a 272-day mission that ranks among the longest single spaceflights ever completed by an American. Beyond his operational role as a flight engineer for Expeditions 60, 61, and 62, he performed seven spacewalks to perform complex hardware upgrades and essential repairs on the International Space Station.
Early Education and Military Foundations
Born in 1976 in Morgantown, West Virginia, Morgan graduated from Dover High School in 1994. He pursued an engineering degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1998. During his time at West Point, he was a member of the Black Knights parachute team. Following his graduation, he enrolled at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, earning his medical degree. He later completed an emergency medicine residency at Madigan Army Medical Center and a sports medicine fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Commissioned as an Army medical officer in 1998, Morgan volunteered for the United States Army Special Operations Command. His career included service as a physician at Fort Bragg and involvement with the U.S. Army Parachute Team. He completed deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. Before his selection by NASA, he held a strategic special operations role in Washington, D.C.
Astronaut Career and ISS Operations
Selected as part of the 2013 NASA Astronaut Group 21, Morgan underwent two years of training in robotics, Russian, and survival operations, achieving flight eligibility in 2015. His 2019 orbital mission included installing the International Docking Adapter-3 and performing repairs on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. In 2023, he transitioned to commander of the U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll, a role he held until June 2025. Following his service at Kwajalein, he assumed the role of senior commander at White Sands Missile Range. NASA announced his formal retirement from the agency in May 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 1976, Morgantown, West Virginia
- Military Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Education: United States Military Academy (1998)
- NASA Selection: June 2013
- Spaceflight Duration: 272 days
- Spacewalks: 7
- Awards: Bronze Star Medal
- Retirement from NASA: May 28, 2026
Questions readers ask
What record did Andrew R. Morgan hold regarding spaceflight length?
He completed the fourth-longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut at the time of his return in 2020.
Did Morgan hold command positions outside of NASA?
Yes, he served as the garrison commander for Kwajalein Atoll from June 2023 to June 2025.
Achievements
- Educated at United States Military Academy, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Dover High School
- Worked as astronaut and physician
