Michael L. Gernhardt

Michael L. Gernhardt is an American astronaut and oceanographer who has been employed by NASA since 1992. He is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions and has conducted seven spacewalks during his career.

Early life and education

Gernhardt was born on May 4, 1956, in Mansfield, Ohio. He developed an interest in science and exploration at a young age. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Vanderbilt University in 1978, followed by a Master of Science degree in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1983. He later earned a Doctorate in Physiology from the same institution in 1991.

Career

Before joining NASA, Gernhardt worked as a professional deep sea diver for commercial diving company Oceaneering International. He was involved in the development of new diving techniques and made significant contributions to the understanding of decompression sickness.

In 1992, Gernhardt was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate. He completed a year of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. He flew on four Space Shuttle missions: STS-69, STS-83, STS-94, and STS-104. During these missions, he logged over 43 days in space, including seven spacewalks totaling 43 hours.

Gernhardt has also been involved in the development of the NASA's Extravehicular Activity (EVA) procedures and systems, and the Mars exploration concept development. He is currently the Principal Investigator for the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) project, a research project that sends groups of astronauts, engineers, and scientists to live in Aquarius, the world's only undersea research station, for up to three weeks at a time.

Awards and honors

Gernhardt has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the NASA Space Flight Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. He was also inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2017.

See also

• List of astronauts by year of selection
• List of spacewalks and moonwalks
• Timeline of longest spaceflights