Launched on STS-73 at age 38, Ken Bowersox became the youngest person to command a Space Shuttle mission. His career reflects a transition from naval aviation to the forefront of orbital operations, spanning service as a test pilot to senior leadership roles managing human space exploration at NASA and private industry initiatives at SpaceX.
Naval Aviation and Training
Born in 1956 in Portsmouth, Virginia, Bowersox identifies Bedford, Indiana, as his hometown. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1978 and earned a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Columbia University one year later. His path to space began at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, graduating with Class 85A. As a Navy officer, he flew the A-7E and F/A-18 aircraft, establishing the flight credentials required for his selection as a NASA astronaut candidate in 1987.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Shuttle Missions and Hubble Servicing
Bowersox logged four Space Shuttle flights, beginning as a pilot on STS-50 in 1992. During STS-61 in 1993, he served as a pilot during the mission that performed the first servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope. He transitioned to command duties for STS-73 in 1995 and later commanded the STS-82 flight in 1997, which performed additional repairs and instrument installations on the Hubble observatory.
Expedition 6 and Orbital Command
In 2002, Bowersox led Expedition 6 to the International Space Station, serving as commander alongside Nikolai Budarin and Donald Pettit. The crew conducted extensive scientific experiments and maintenance spacewalks. Following the Columbia tragedy, the mission trajectory shifted, requiring the crew to return to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft in May 2003, concluding their extended stay.
Leadership in Government and Industry
After retiring from NASA in 2006, Bowersox transitioned to the private sector as vice president of Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance at SpaceX from 2009 to 2011. He returned to NASA leadership in 2019, serving as the Acting Associate Administrator for the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate during multiple intervals. He was named associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate in 2023, retiring from the position in 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 1956, Portsmouth
- Education: U.S. Naval Academy; Columbia University
- Military Rank: Captain
- Space Shuttle Missions: 4
- ISS Expedition: 6
- Inducted: United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, 2010
- Award: NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1998, 2003)
- Eagle Scout: Yes
Questions readers ask
Which Space Shuttle missions did Ken Bowersox command?
He commanded STS-73 and STS-82.
Did Ken Bowersox work for SpaceX?
Yes, he served as the vice president of Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance from 2009 to 2011.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and United States Naval Academy
- Worked as military officer, astronaut and test pilot
