From “hell week” to hose leak- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy does it all. Currently aboard the International Space Station, Cassidy is doing more than fixing ammonia leaks. He is also performing important scientific research with human heath implications for both here on Earth and in space.
Prior to becoming a NASA astronaut in 2006, Cassidy spent ten years as a member of the U.S. Navy SEALS Teams. In fact, SEAL Cmdr. Chris Cassidy was amongst the first Americans on the ground in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Capsule Commander (CAPCOM) in mission control before joining the crew of STS-127 in July 2009. While docked to the ISS from the shuttle, Cassidy performed three space walks totaling 18 hours and 5 minutes.
On March 28th, 2013, along with cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin, Cassidy launched from Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. The crewmembers were the first to complete an unprecedented, expedited trip to the ISS in which they completed the standard two-day trip in just less than six hours.
So, where will Chris Cassidy’s next mission take him? “I hope to be the next guy on the moon”, Cassidy said back in 2004. Tell congress to double NASA’s budget so we make this a reality. Sign the petition at www.penny4nasa.org
