Mark T. Vande Hei

Mark T. Vande Hei‏‎ is an American astronaut and retired United States Army Colonel. He was born on November 10, 1966, in Falls Church, Virginia. Vande Hei is a veteran of two International Space Station (ISS) expeditions, having served as a flight engineer for Expedition 53 and Expedition 54, and as a commander for Expedition 65.

Early life and education

Vande Hei was born in Falls Church, Virginia, and grew up in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He graduated from Benilde-St. Margaret's High School in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, in 1985. He then attended Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics in 1989. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics from Stanford University in 1999.

Military career

After graduating from Saint John's University, Vande Hei was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army through the ROTC program. He served in the Army for over 20 years, retiring with the rank of Colonel. His military career included a variety of roles, such as combat engineer, assistant professor of physics at the United States Military Academy, and space operations officer.

NASA career

Vande Hei was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 2009. He completed astronaut candidate training in 2011. His first spaceflight was on Soyuz MS-06, which launched in September 2017. He served as a flight engineer for Expedition 53 and 54 on the ISS. His second spaceflight was on Soyuz MS-18, which launched in April 2021. He served as a commander for Expedition 65 on the ISS.

Personal life

Vande Hei is married and has two children. He enjoys running, reading, movies, photography, and spending time with his family.

See also

• List of astronauts by year of selection
• List of International Space Station expeditions