Gregory Thomas Linteris logged over 471 hours in space while serving as a payload specialist during two NASA Space Shuttle missions in 1997. Born in Demarest in 1957, Linteris combined his extensive academic background in chemical and aerospace engineering with practical orbital research, contributing directly to scientific experiments conducted within the Microgravity Science Laboratory modules.
Academic Background
Linteris graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest before pursuing higher education. He earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University in 1979. He later attended Stanford University, where he received a master of science degree from the mechanical engineering department's design division in 1984. In 1990, he earned a doctorate in mechanical and aerospace engineering, again from Princeton, completing a dissertation on trace radical species detection supervised by Fred Dryer.
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His NASA flight experience took place on two specific missions, STS-83 and STS-94. The first mission, STS-83, launched on April 4, 1997, and lasted until April 8. It was intended to support the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission but was abbreviated due to a malfunction in a fuel cell power generation unit. STS-94, which occurred from July 1 to July 17, 1997, served as a successful re-flight of the laboratory. This mission focused on research into materials and combustion science within the unique environment of microgravity.
Professional Contributions
Linteris holds memberships in several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Physical Society, the Combustion Institute, and Sigma Xi. He has authored more than 100 publications focusing on chemical kinetics, spectroscopy, heat transfer, and combustion. Currently, he serves as a staff scientist in the Building Energy and Environment Division of the Engineering Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, located in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Fast facts
- Born: 1957, Demarest
- Education: Princeton University, Stanford University
- Specialization: Chemical and aerospace engineering
- Role: NASA payload specialist
- Missions: STS-83, STS-94
- Time in space: Over 471 hours
- Current employer: National Institute of Standards and Technology
Questions readers ask
What was the purpose of the missions Linteris flew?
Both missions were dedicated to the Microgravity Science Laboratory, focusing on combustion and materials science research.
Why was the STS-83 mission shortened?
The mission was cut short due to operational issues involving one of the Space Shuttle's three fuel cell power generation units.
Achievements
- Recorded as astronaut
