The STS-40 Space Shuttle mission in 1991 served as the platform for F. Drew Gaffney to conduct critical research on human cardiovascular adaptation to space flight. As a payload specialist, he helped facilitate a nine-day endeavor that produced a greater volume of medical data than any previous flight within the history of the NASA program.
Early Education and Medical Training
Born in 1946 in Carlsbad, New Mexico, Gaffney completed his secondary education at Carlsbad High School in 1964. He later pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1968. He subsequently attended the University of New Mexico, where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1972.
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Gaffney served as a Visiting Senior Scientist at NASA Headquarters between January 1987 and June 1989. During this tenure, he held the roles of Associate Manager of Biomedical Research and Program Scientist for the D-2 Spacelab mission and the Research Animal Holding Facility. He contributed to international research planning alongside German, French, and Soviet scientists and participated in the Humans to Mars study group. His expertise in cardiac research and medical equipment, including rebreathing devices and echocardiograms, facilitated his selection for the SLS-1 mission.
STS-40 Mission Details
Launched in June 1991, the STS-40 mission represented the first Spacelab flight entirely dedicated to biomedical investigations. The crew completed over 18 distinct experiments during their 218-hour mission. Traveling 3.2 million miles across 146 orbits, the flight provided significant insights into space physiology. Gaffney served as a co-investigator, focusing on how the human cardiovascular system responds to orbital flight environments.
Military Service and Academic Career
Beyond his work as an astronaut, Gaffney served as a Colonel in the Texas Air National Guard. His military role included duties as a Flight Surgeon for the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group stationed at Ellington Air National Guard Base in Houston, Texas. In his academic capacity, he is a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, specializing in cardiovascular disease. He has authored over 50 publications and served on the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Space Biology and Medicine from 1992 to 2000.
Fast facts
- Born: 1946, Carlsbad, New Mexico
- Education: University of California, Berkeley; University of New Mexico
- Military Rank: Colonel, Texas Air National Guard
- NASA Mission: STS-40 Space Life Sciences (SLS 1)
- Current Position: Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University
- Award: International Space Hall of Fame (1996)
Questions readers ask
What was the primary goal of the STS-40 mission?
The mission was the first Spacelab flight dedicated to biomedical studies, specifically focusing on human cardiovascular adaptation to space flight.
What medical experience did Gaffney bring to NASA?
He brought 15 years of experience in cardiac research and the operation of specialized medical equipment such as echocardiograms and rebreathing devices.
Achievements
- International Space Hall of Fame — 1996
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Vanderbilt University
- Educated at University of New Mexico and University of California, Berkeley
- Worked as military officer, astronaut and physician
