Charles Owen Hobaugh reached space on three separate shuttle missions between 2001 and 2009, logging 36 days in orbit. His transition from a military aviator to a NASA commander involved over 5,000 flight hours across 40 different aircraft types. Beyond his flight career, he served as a critical liaison between mission control and crews during complex orbital operations.
Military Aviation and Training
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1984, Hobaugh pursued a career in tactical aviation. Following flight training, he operated the AV-8B Harrier, deploying to Iwakuni, Japan, and flying combat missions during Operation Desert Storm from the USS Nassau. His expertise led him to the United States Naval Test Pilot School in 1991, where he transitioned into experimental testing roles, evaluating aircraft such as the F-18 and T-2 Buckeye.
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Selected by NASA in 1996, Hobaugh served as pilot for STS-104 in 2001, which delivered the Quest Joint Airlock to the International Space Station. In 2007, he flew as pilot on STS-118, the mission that installed the S5 truss segment. He concluded his active flight duty as commander of STS-129 in 2009, a mission that focused on delivering spare logistics components to the station.
Operations and Ground Support
Before and between his flights, Hobaugh held technical roles within the Astronaut Office, including assignments in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. He served as a Capsule Communicator in Mission Control, representing the voice of ground operations to crews in orbit. Notably, he was the launch and reentry CAPCOM during the 2003 STS-107 mission, when contact was lost with the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, Bar Harbor
- Military Rank: Colonel
- NASA Selection: 1996
- Flight Hours: Over 5,000
- Total Time in Space: 36 days
- Education: United States Naval Academy
- Retirement from USMC: September 2010
- Civilian Employer: FedEx
Questions readers ask
What specific missions did Charles O. Hobaugh command?
He served as the commander for the STS-129 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in November 2009.
Did Hobaugh continue working after retiring from the Marine Corps and NASA?
Yes, he was hired by FedEx in 2011 following his 2010 retirement from the military.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at United States Naval Test Pilot School and United States Naval Academy
- Worked as naval officer, astronaut and fighter pilot
