Steven Hawley logged 32 days, 2 hours, and 41 minutes in space across five missions aboard the Space Shuttle between 1984 and 1999. A physicist by training, he became the final member of NASA Astronaut Group 8 to complete a space flight and remains the only person to both deploy and service the Hubble Space Telescope.
Academic and Scientific Foundation
Born in Ottawa, Kansas, in 1951, Hawley graduated from Salina High School Central before enrolling at the University of Kansas. He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in physics and astronomy with highest distinction in 1973. His early research experience included stints at the U.S. Naval Observatory and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. In 1977, he completed his Doctorate in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, under the guidance of William L. Burke. Prior to his 1978 selection by NASA, Hawley conducted post-doctoral research on gaseous nebulae and emission-line galaxies at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.
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Hawley served as a mission specialist on five flights. His inaugural mission, STS-41D in 1984, involved the deployment of multiple satellites and the activation of the OAST-1 solar cell experiment. He participated in the 1986 STS-61C mission before taking part in the 1990 STS-31 flight, which deployed the Hubble Space Telescope. In 1997, he returned to the Hubble for STS-82, where he operated the shuttle's robot arm to retrieve and redeploy the telescope following critical instrument upgrades and repairs. His final mission, STS-93 in 1999, featured his role as flight engineer and the successful deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Post-NASA Career
Following his retirement from active astronaut status, Hawley transitioned into academia. He became a professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas, where he previously served as the director of engineering physics. His career has been marked by professional affiliations with the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Sigma Pi Sigma. His contributions to the U.S. space program were recognized with multiple honors, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1998 and 2000, and his induction into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1951, Ottawa, Kansas
- Education: University of Kansas (BS), University of California, Santa Cruz (PhD)
- NASA selection year: 1978
- Total space flight time: 32 days, 2 hours, 41 minutes
- Primary missions: STS-41D, STS-61C, STS-31, STS-82, STS-93
- Professional memberships: American Astronomical Society, Phi Beta Kappa
- Current status: Professor Emeritus, University of Kansas
Questions readers ask
What unique record does Steven Hawley hold regarding the Hubble Space Telescope?
He is the only astronaut to have deployed the telescope during the STS-31 mission and subsequently flown on a servicing mission to repair it during STS-82.
What was Hawley's role during the STS-82 Hubble maintenance mission?
He served as the primary operator of the shuttle's 50-foot robot arm, which was used to retrieve the telescope and assist in the installation of new spectrometers and replacement instruments.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at University of Kansas, University of California, Santa Cruz and Salina High School Central
- Worked as astronaut, physicist and astronomer
