As of November 2025, Frederick W. Sturckow holds the distinction of having been launched into space more times than any other human. His career spans decades of military flight testing, four Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station, and six suborbital flights conducted as a commercial pilot for Virgin Galactic.
Military Service and Flight Training
Commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1984, Sturckow earned his aviator wings in April 1987. Following service with VMFA-333, he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School in 1990 and subsequently served in Bahrain, flying 41 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. His career progressed through the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base. By his retirement in 2009 as a colonel, he had accumulated over 6,500 flight hours across more than 60 different aircraft models.
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Selected by NASA in December 1994, Sturckow transitioned to the Johnson Space Center. He served as pilot for STS-88 in 1998, the initial assembly mission for the International Space Station, and STS-105 in 2001. He later commanded STS-117 in 2007 and STS-128 in 2009. He remained involved in mission operations as a CAPCOM and served as the backup commander for STS-134 in 2011 to provide mission continuity during a period of personnel crisis.
Commercial Spaceflight Transition
Sturckow concluded his 18-year NASA career in 2013 and transitioned to the private sector. Virgin Galactic recruited him in May 2013 to lead flight testing for the White Knight Two aircraft and the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. In December 2018, he achieved a milestone by reaching space aboard the VSS Unity. His subsequent work has established him as a central figure in the expansion of commercial suborbital operations.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, La Mesa, California
- Military rank: Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps
- Education: California Polytechnic State University (1984)
- NASA tenure: 1995–2013
- Space Shuttle missions: 4
- Suborbital flights: 6
- Awards: NASA Distinguished Service Medal (2010)
- Notable roles: CAPCOM, test pilot
Questions readers ask
What is the origin of Sturckow's nickname, CJ?
It stands for Caustic Junior, a name bestowed upon him as a young Marine because he resembled a senior squadron commander known as Caustic.
How many missions did he fly to the International Space Station?
He visited the station four times, making him one of only three American astronauts to reach that specific milestone.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, California Polytechnic State University and United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program
- Worked as military officer and astronaut
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