Frank L. Culbertson Jr.
Frank Culbertson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frank Lee Culbertson Jr. May 15, 1949 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Naval officer, aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer, NASA astronaut |
| Years active | 1971–2002 (NASA career until 2002; military service starting 1971) |
| Known for | Commander of the International Space Station Expedition 3; sole American in space during September 11 attacks |
| Notable work | Spaceflights: STS-38, STS-51, Expedition 3 (STS-105 / STS-108) |
Frank Lee Culbertson Jr. (born May 15, 1949) (Capt, USN, Ret.) is a retired American naval officer, aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer, and NASA astronaut. An alumnus of the United States Naval Academy and an inductee of the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, he commanded the International Space Station for close to four months in 2001. Remarkably, he was the sole American off Earth during the events of September 11.
Early life
Culbertson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but regards Holly Hill, South Carolina as his hometown. He is a father to five children and grandfather to nine grandchildren.
Having been a Boy Scout who reached the Second Class rank, he completed his studies at Holly Hill High School in 1967. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1971, where he was active in varsity rowing and wrestling.
Following his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971, Culbertson served aboard in the Gulf of Tonkin before undergoing flight training in Pensacola, Florida. He earned his designation as a Naval Aviator in May 1973 and piloted F-4 Phantom jets with VF-121 at NAS Miramar, California; with VF-151 aboard the aircraft carrier based in Yokosuka, Japan; and with the U.S. Air Force's 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where he also acted as Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Later, he held the position of Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer for until May 1981 when selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
Graduating with honors in June 1982, Culbertson oversaw all F-4 testing as Program Manager within the Carrier Systems Branch of the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate and served as a test pilot for automatic carrier landing systems. Beginning January 1984, he trained on the F-14 Tomcat at VF-101, NAS Oceana, Virginia until chosen as an astronaut candidate.
His flight experience totals over 9,000 hours across 62 different aircraft models, including more than 450 carrier landings—over 350 of which were arrested—and extensive testing of automated carrier landing systems.
NASA career
Culbertson was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in May 1984 and completed his initial training by June 1985. His technical assignments involved redesigning and testing components related to Space Shuttle nosewheel steering and providing launch support at Kennedy Space Center for multiple Shuttle missions. In 1986, he participated in investigations following the Challenger tragedy.
He took on roles such as lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL), headed the First Emergency Egress Team, and served as lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) during seven Shuttle flights. After his maiden spaceflight, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Flight Crew Operations Space Station Support Office and lead astronaut for Space Station Safety. He also evaluated hardware and procedures for docking with Russia’s Mir Space Station. Subsequent positions included Chief of the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch and Chief of the Johnson Space Center Russian Projects Office.
In 1994, Culbertson became Deputy Program Manager for Phase 1 Shuttle-Mir operations and advanced to Manager of the Shuttle-Mir Program in 1995. He directed a multinational team responsible for nine Shuttle dockings with Mir, managing seven astronauts’ combined 30 months aboard Mir along with associated scientific experiments and equipment—an essential contribution to establishing the International Space Station. Additionally, he served as Deputy Program Manager for ISS Program Operations.
Culbertson concluded his NASA career in August 2002 to explore opportunities within private industry.
Spaceflight experience
Having participated in three space missions, Culbertson accumulated more than 143 days in space.
The STS-38 mission aboard Atlantis (November 15–20, 1990) lasted five days and focused on Department of Defense activities. During this time, the shuttle completed 80 orbits around Earth in just under 118 hours. This flight marked the first Shuttle landing in Florida since 1985.
On STS-51, Culbertson flew on the Discovery from September 12 to 22, 1993. This ten-day mission involved deploying the U.S. Advanced Communications Technology Satellite along with the Shuttle Pallet Satellite, which carried scientific experiments from both the United States and Germany, including an ultraviolet spectrometer. The crew executed a seven-hour EVA to evaluate tools designed for repairs on the Hubble Space Telescope. Additionally, they successfully retrieved the SPAS satellite after it had been free-flying for six days. The mission concluded with Discovery’s inaugural night landing at Kennedy Space Center following 158 orbits and a total duration of 236 hours.
The crew of Expedition 3 launched on August 10, 2001, aboard STS-105 Discovery, docking with the International Space Station two days later on August 12. Culbertson spent 129 days living and working on the station, serving as commander for 117 of those days. Significantly, he was the sole American in space during the September 11 attacks. While orbiting over New York City, he captured images of smoke rising from Ground Zero. He later discovered that his Naval Academy classmate, Charles Burlingame, who piloted American Airlines Flight 77 that struck the Pentagon, shared his background in aeronautical engineering and fighter piloting. To honor their connection and history in the academy’s Drum & Bugle Corps, Culbertson played Taps on his onboard trumpet during their class’s 30th reunion. The Expedition 3 team returned to Earth on December 15 aboard STS-108 Endeavour, landing at Kennedy Space Center two days later.
Post-NASA career
In September 2002, Culbertson took on the role of Senior Vice President and Program Manager at SAIC, overseeing NASA’s Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) contract. Six years later, he transitioned to Orbital Sciences Corporation where he directed human spaceflight initiatives including COTS and CRS programs.
After Northrop Grumman acquired Orbital Sciences Corporation, Culbertson was appointed President of the Space Systems Group at Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. In this capacity, he managed business growth, operational execution, and financial outcomes across projects involving human spaceflight, scientific research missions, commercial communication satellites, and national security satellite programs. Notable efforts under his leadership included NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) to the International Space Station as well as various defense-related satellite ventures.
Culbertson retired from Northrop Grumman in 2018. Two years later, in December 2020, he joined the Board of Directors for the Space Foundation.
Organizations
He holds membership in multiple professional bodies such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (where he is a senior fellow), Association of Naval Aviators, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, Aviation Boatswains Mates Association, and the Association of Space Explorers.
Awards and honors
Culbertson has been the recipient of a wide array of distinguished accolades, such as the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Superior Service Medal, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Space Flight Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. His honorary doctorates include a Doctor of Science degree awarded by the College of Charleston in 1994 and Lander University in 1999. Among his other notable awards are the Komarov Certificate for Space Flight Achievement (1994), the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award for the STS-51 mission (1994), the 1997 Laurel Award for Achievement in Space from Aviation Week & Space Technology, the IEEE/ASME Manager of the Year Award (1997), and the Stellar Award from the Space Center Rotary Club (1998). Culbertson was honored with induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010 as well as the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2013, he was named a Fellow of the AIAA.