Seven distinct spaceflights define the career of Jerry L. Ross, a retired United States Air Force colonel who shares the record for the most launches in history. Born in Crown Point, Indiana, in 1948, he transitioned from military flight testing into a decades-long career as a mission specialist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Military and Academic Foundation
Ross graduated from Crown Point High School in 1966 and earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University by 1972. During his time at Purdue, he joined the Reamer Club and participated in the Air Force ROTC program. Upon receiving his commission in 1970, he began active duty with the Air Force, serving at the Aero-Propulsion Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. His engineering work focused on ramjet propulsion systems and missile configuration development. In 1976, he graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School. His subsequent assignment at Edwards Air Force Base involved flight test engineering for the B-1 aircraft and the RC-135S. He retired from the Air Force on March 31, 2000, having logged over 3,900 flying hours.
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In 1979, Ross joined the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center as a payload officer before his selection as an astronaut in May 1980. Over his career, he fulfilled technical roles including spacecraft communicator and Chief of the Astronaut Office EVA and Robotics Branch. He flew his first mission on STS-61-B in 1985. Over the next two decades, he participated in missions such as the STS-74 rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir and the assembly of the International Space Station on STS-88. He completed his final flight on STS-110 in 2002. In total, he logged over 1,393 hours in space and performed nine spacewalks.
Classified Missions and Records
The 1988 STS-27 mission, which carried a Department of Defense payload, remains notable for the severe damage sustained by Atlantis during ascent. Details regarding the flight and Ross's activities during the mission remain classified, despite Freedom of Information Act filings. Beyond his flight tally, Ross holds the record for the most missions flown on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. He retired from NASA on January 28, 2012, while serving as Chief of the Vehicle Integration Test Office. His personal papers and photographs are preserved in the Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives at Purdue University.
Fast facts
- Born: 1948, Crown Point, Indiana
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Education: Purdue University, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
- Total Spaceflights: 7
- Spacewalks: 9
- Retirement Date: January 28, 2012
- Affiliation: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Honors: United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
Questions readers ask
How many space missions did Jerry L. Ross fly?
He is a veteran of seven spaceflights, holding the record for the most launches alongside Franklin Chang-Díaz.
What was the significance of the STS-27 mission?
The mission carried a Department of Defense payload and resulted in significant damage to the heat-resistant tiles on Atlantis, though details of the flight remain classified.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Purdue University and Crown Point High School
- Worked as military officer, astronaut and aircraft pilot
