Astronaut Profile
Rick Husband
Commander
Rick Husband commanded Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-107, and was killed with his six crewmates when the orbiter broke apart during reentry on February 1, 2003.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Commander • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
Rick D. Husband was a U.S. Air Force test pilot who flew as pilot on STS-96 in 1999 before commanding STS-107 in 2003. On February 1, 2003, as Columbia descended toward a planned landing after a sixteen-day science mission, damage sustained during launch caused the orbiter to break apart during reentry, killing Husband and all six of his crewmates.
Astronaut Details
Born
July 12, 1957
Died
February 1, 2003
Birthplace
Amarillo, Texas, USA
Role
Commander
Program
Space Shuttle
Time in Space
25 days, 17 hours, 33 minutes
Missions
STS-96, STS-107
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous)
- Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross