Michael P. Anderson (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF)
Mission Specialist
PERSONAL DATA: Born December 25, 1959, in
Plattsburgh, New York. Considers Spokane, Washington, to be his
hometown. Married. He enjoys photography, chess, computers, and
tennis.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Cheney High School in
Cheney, Washington, in 1977. Bachelor of science degree in
physics/astronomy from University of Washington, 1981. Master of
science degree in physics from Creighton University, 1990.
SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished graduate USAF
Communication Electronics Officers course. Recipient of the Armed
Forces Communication Electronics Associations Academic Excellence
Award 1983. Received the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training Academic
Achievement Award for Class 87-08 Vance AFB. Awarded the Defense
Superior Service Medal, the USAF Meritorious Service Medal, and the
USAF Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
EXPERIENCE: Anderson graduated form the
University of Washington in 1981 and was commissioned a second
lieutenant. After completing a year of technical training at
Keesler AFB Mississippi he was assigned to Randolph AFB Texas. At
Randolph he served as Chief of Communication Maintenance for the
2015 Communication Squadron and later as Director of Information
System Maintenance for the 1920 Information System Group. In 1986
he was selected to attend Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance
AFB, Oklahoma. Upon graduation he was assigned to the 2nd Airborne
Command and Control Squadron, Offutt AFB Nebraska as an EC 135
pilot, flying the Strategic Air Commands airborne command post
code-named "Looking Glass". From January 1991 to September 1992 he
served as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the 920th
Air Refueling Squadron, Wurtsmith AFB Michigan. From September 1992
to February 1995 he was assigned as an instructor pilot and tactics
officer in the 380 Air Refueling Wing, Plattsburgh AFB New York.
Anderson has logged over 3000 hours in various models of the KC-135
and the T-38A aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in
December 1994, Anderson reported to the Johnson Space Center in
March 1995. He completed a year of training and evaluation, and is
qualified for flight crew assignment as a mission specialist.
Anderson was initially assigned technical duties in the Flight
Support Branch of the Astronaut Office. Most recently, he flew on
the crew of STS-89. In completing his first space flight Anderson
has logged over 211 hours in space. Anderson is assigned to the
crew of STS-107 scheduled to launch in 2003.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-89 (January 22-31,
1998), was the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission during which the
crew transferred more than 9,000 pounds of scientific equipment,
logistical hardware and water from Space Shuttle Endeavour to Mir.
In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89
delivered Andy Thomas to Mir and returned with David Wolf. Mission
duration was 8 days, 19 hours and 47 seconds, traveling 3.6 million
miles in 138 orbits of the Earth.