Christopher John "Chris" Cassidy is a NASA astronaut and United States Navy SEAL. Chris Cassidy achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Navy. He was the Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA from July 2015 until June 2017. Cassidy attended York High School, in York, Maine. He then graduated from the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1989. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy in 1993 and a Master of Science degree in Ocean Engineering from MIT in 2000. While in the Navy, Cassidy passed BUD/S and became a Navy SEAL. While a SEAL he served several tours of duty supporting the fight in the War on Terror. His first spaceflight was on Space Shuttle mission STS-127, and his second was as a flight engineer for Expedition 35/36, launched aboard Soyuz TMA-08M. He was in space between July 15–31, 2009 and March 28 – September 10, 2013. Cassidy has worked as a CAPCOM for both International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions in the past. Cassidy announced his retirement from both the Navy and NASA Astronaut Corps on May 28, 2021.

Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 | STS-127

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
July 15, 2009, 10:03 p.m.

Status: Success

Mission:

STS-127 (ISS assembly flight 2J/A) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the twenty-third flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. The primary purpose of the STS-127 mission was to deliver and install the final two components of the Japanese Experiment Module: the Exposed Facility (JEM EF), and the Exposed Section of the Experiment Logistics Module (ELM-ES). When Endeavour docked with the ISS on this mission in July 2009, it set a record for the most humans in space at the same time in the same vehicle, the first time thirteen people have been at the station at the same time. It also tied the record of thirteen people in space at any one time.

Low Earth Orbit

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Soyuz FG | Soyuz TMA-08M

Progress Rocket Space Center | Russia
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
March 28, 2013, 8:43 p.m.

Status: Success

Mission:

Soyuz TMA-08M begins expedition 35 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov alongside Flight Engineers, Alexander Misurkin (RSA) & Christopher Cassidy (NASA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on 11 November 2013 at 02:49 UTC

Low Earth Orbit

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Soyuz 2.1a | Soyuz MS-16

Progress Rocket Space Center | Russia
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
April 9, 2020, 8:05 a.m.

Status: Success

Mission:

Soyuz MS-16 begins expedition 62 by carrying Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin, Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, they will rendezvous to the station where they will remain for their 6 month stay.

Low Earth Orbit

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