Peter J.K. "Jeff" Wisoff and Tamara E. "Tammy" Jernigan
When an opportunity arose for a chance to get the autographs of Peter J.K. "Jeff" Wisoff and his wife, Tamara E. "Tammy" Jernigan, also a retired NASA astronaut, I chose this photo showing the two of them.
Wisoff was selected by NASA in January 1990, and became an astronaut in July 1991.
A veteran of four space flights, STS-57 in 1993, STS-68 in 1994, STS-81 in 1997 and STS-92 in 2000, Wisoff has logged a total of 42 days, 56 hours, 1 minute and 48 seconds in space, including 19 hours and 53 minutes of EVA time in three space walks.
Wisoff retired from NASA in September 2001 to join the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to serve as Deputy Program Manager for Systems Engineering at the National Ignition Facility.
STS-57/Endeavour (June 21 to July 1, 1993) launched from and returned to land at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The primary objective of this flight was the retrieval of the European Retrievable Carrier satellite (EURECA) using the RMS.
Additionally, this mission featured the first flight of Spacehab, a commercially-provided middeck augmentation module for the conduct of microgravity experiments. Spacehab carried 22 individual flight experiments in materials and life sciences research.
During the mission Wisoff conducted a 5-hour, 50-minute spacewalk during which the EURECA communications antennas were manually positioned for latching, and various extravehicular activity tools and techniques were evaluated for use on future missions. STS-57 was accomplished in 155 orbits of the Earth in 239 hours and 45 minutes.
STS-68/Endeavour (September 30 to October 11, 1994) was the Space Radar Lab-2 (SRL-2) mission. As part of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth, SRL-2 was the second flight of three advanced radars called SIR-C/X-SAR (Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar), and a carbon-monoxide pollution sensor, MAPS (Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites.)
SIR-C/X-SAR and MAPS operated together in Endeavour’s cargo bay to study Earth’s surface and atmosphere, creating radar images of Earth’s surface environment and mapping global production and transport of carbon monoxide pollution. Real-time crew observations of environmental conditions, along with over 14,000 photographs aided the science team in interpreting the SRL data.
The SRL-2 mission was a highly successful test of technology intended for long-term environmental and geological monitoring of planet Earth. Following 183 orbits of the Earth in 269 hours and 46 minutes, the eleven-day mission ended with Space Shuttle Endeavour landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
STS-81/Atlantis (January 12-22, 1997) was a ten-day mission, the fifth to dock with Russia’s Space Station Mir, and the second to exchange U.S. astronauts.
The mission also carried the Spacehab double module providing additional middeck locker space for secondary experiments. In five days of docked operations more than three tons of food, water, experiment equipment and samples were moved back and forth between the two spacecraft.
Following 160 orbits of the Earth in 244 hours, 55 minutes, the STS-81 mission concluded with a landing on Kennedy Space Center’s Runway 33 ending a 3.9 million mile journey.
STS-92/Discovery (October 11-24, 2000) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the 13-day flight, the seven member crew attached the Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 to the International Space Station using Discovery’s robotic arm and performed four space walks to configure these elements.
This expansion of the ISS opened the door for future assembly missions and prepared the station for its first resident crew. Wisoff totaled 13 hours and 16 minutes of EVA time in two space walks. The STS-92 mission was accomplished in 202 orbits, traveling 5.3 million miles in 12 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes and 25 seconds.
Jernigan was elected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1985, and became an astronaut in July 1986.
A veteran of five space flights, Jernigan has logged over 1,512 hours in space, including an EVA totaling 7 hours and 55 minutes. She was a mission specialist on STS-40 (June 5-14, 1991) and STS-52 (October 22-November 1, 1992), was the payload commander on STS-67 (March 2-18, 1995), and again served as a mission specialist on STS-80 (November 19 to December 7, 1996) and STS-96 (May 27 to June 6, 1999).
STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1) was a dedicated space and life sciences mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the nine-day flight crew members performed experiments which explored how humans, animals and cells respond to microgravity and readapt to Earth’s gravity on return.
Other payloads included experiments designed to investigate materials science, plant biology and cosmic radiation. Mission duration was 218 hours, 14 minutes, 20 seconds. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
STS-52 was also launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the ten-day flight, the crew deployed the Italian Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS) which will be used to measure movement of the Earth’s crust, and operated the U.S. Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1.)
Also, the Space Vision System (SVS), developed by the Canadian Space Agency, was tested by the crew using a small target assembly which was released from the remote manipulator system. The SVS will be used for Space Station construction.
In addition, numerous other experiments were performed by the crew encompassing the areas of geophysics, materials science, biological research and applied research for Space Station. Mission duration was 236 hours, 56 minutes 13 seconds. Landing was at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
STS-67 Astro-2 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour was the second flight of the Astro observatory, a unique complement of three telescopes. During this record-setting 16-day mission, the crew conducted observations around the clock to study the far ultraviolet spectra of faint astronomical objects and the polarization of ultraviolet light coming from hot stars and distant galaxies.
Mission duration was 399 hours and 9 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
On STS-80 the crew aboard Space Shuttle Columbia successfully deployed and retrieved the Wake Shield Facility (WSF) and the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) satellites. The free-flying WSF created a super vacuum in its wake and grew thin film wafers for use in semiconductors and other high-tech electrical components.
The ORFEUS instruments, mounted on the reusable Shuttle Pallet Satellite, studied the origin and makeup of stars. Her two planned spacewalks were lost due to a jammed outer hatch on the airlock. Mission duration was a record breaking 423 hours, 53 minutes.
STS-96/Discovery (May 27 to June 6, 1999) was a 10-day mission during which the crew performed the first docking to the International Space Station, and delivered 4 tons of logistics and supplies in preparation for the arrival of the first crew to live on the station early next year.
The mission was accomplished in 153 Earth orbits, traveling 4 million miles in 235 hours and 13 minutes, during which Jernigan performed an EVA of 7 hours and 55 minute duration. 10 Oct. 2015, Pleasanton, Calif.
Peter J.K. "Jeff" Wisoff and Tamara E. "Tammy" Jernigan
When an opportunity arose for a chance to get the autographs of Peter J.K. "Jeff" Wisoff and his wife, Tamara E. "Tammy" Jernigan, also a retired NASA astronaut, I chose this photo showing the two of them.
Wisoff was selected by NASA in January 1990, and became an astronaut in July 1991.
A veteran of four space flights, STS-57 in 1993, STS-68 in 1994, STS-81 in 1997 and STS-92 in 2000, Wisoff has logged a total of 42 days, 56 hours, 1 minute and 48 seconds in space, including 19 hours and 53 minutes of EVA time in three space walks.
Wisoff retired from NASA in September 2001 to join the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to serve as Deputy Program Manager for Systems Engineering at the National Ignition Facility.
STS-57/Endeavour (June 21 to July 1, 1993) launched from and returned to land at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The primary objective of this flight was the retrieval of the European Retrievable Carrier satellite (EURECA) using the RMS.
Additionally, this mission featured the first flight of Spacehab, a commercially-provided middeck augmentation module for the conduct of microgravity experiments. Spacehab carried 22 individual flight experiments in materials and life sciences research.
During the mission Wisoff conducted a 5-hour, 50-minute spacewalk during which the EURECA communications antennas were manually positioned for latching, and various extravehicular activity tools and techniques were evaluated for use on future missions. STS-57 was accomplished in 155 orbits of the Earth in 239 hours and 45 minutes.
STS-68/Endeavour (September 30 to October 11, 1994) was the Space Radar Lab-2 (SRL-2) mission. As part of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth, SRL-2 was the second flight of three advanced radars called SIR-C/X-SAR (Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar), and a carbon-monoxide pollution sensor, MAPS (Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites.)
SIR-C/X-SAR and MAPS operated together in Endeavour’s cargo bay to study Earth’s surface and atmosphere, creating radar images of Earth’s surface environment and mapping global production and transport of carbon monoxide pollution. Real-time crew observations of environmental conditions, along with over 14,000 photographs aided the science team in interpreting the SRL data.
The SRL-2 mission was a highly successful test of technology intended for long-term environmental and geological monitoring of planet Earth. Following 183 orbits of the Earth in 269 hours and 46 minutes, the eleven-day mission ended with Space Shuttle Endeavour landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
STS-81/Atlantis (January 12-22, 1997) was a ten-day mission, the fifth to dock with Russia’s Space Station Mir, and the second to exchange U.S. astronauts.
The mission also carried the Spacehab double module providing additional middeck locker space for secondary experiments. In five days of docked operations more than three tons of food, water, experiment equipment and samples were moved back and forth between the two spacecraft.
Following 160 orbits of the Earth in 244 hours, 55 minutes, the STS-81 mission concluded with a landing on Kennedy Space Center’s Runway 33 ending a 3.9 million mile journey.
STS-92/Discovery (October 11-24, 2000) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the 13-day flight, the seven member crew attached the Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 to the International Space Station using Discovery’s robotic arm and performed four space walks to configure these elements.
This expansion of the ISS opened the door for future assembly missions and prepared the station for its first resident crew. Wisoff totaled 13 hours and 16 minutes of EVA time in two space walks. The STS-92 mission was accomplished in 202 orbits, traveling 5.3 million miles in 12 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes and 25 seconds.
Jernigan was elected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1985, and became an astronaut in July 1986.
A veteran of five space flights, Jernigan has logged over 1,512 hours in space, including an EVA totaling 7 hours and 55 minutes. She was a mission specialist on STS-40 (June 5-14, 1991) and STS-52 (October 22-November 1, 1992), was the payload commander on STS-67 (March 2-18, 1995), and again served as a mission specialist on STS-80 (November 19 to December 7, 1996) and STS-96 (May 27 to June 6, 1999).
STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1) was a dedicated space and life sciences mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the nine-day flight crew members performed experiments which explored how humans, animals and cells respond to microgravity and readapt to Earth’s gravity on return.
Other payloads included experiments designed to investigate materials science, plant biology and cosmic radiation. Mission duration was 218 hours, 14 minutes, 20 seconds. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
STS-52 was also launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the ten-day flight, the crew deployed the Italian Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS) which will be used to measure movement of the Earth’s crust, and operated the U.S. Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1.)
Also, the Space Vision System (SVS), developed by the Canadian Space Agency, was tested by the crew using a small target assembly which was released from the remote manipulator system. The SVS will be used for Space Station construction.
In addition, numerous other experiments were performed by the crew encompassing the areas of geophysics, materials science, biological research and applied research for Space Station. Mission duration was 236 hours, 56 minutes 13 seconds. Landing was at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
STS-67 Astro-2 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour was the second flight of the Astro observatory, a unique complement of three telescopes. During this record-setting 16-day mission, the crew conducted observations around the clock to study the far ultraviolet spectra of faint astronomical objects and the polarization of ultraviolet light coming from hot stars and distant galaxies.
Mission duration was 399 hours and 9 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
On STS-80 the crew aboard Space Shuttle Columbia successfully deployed and retrieved the Wake Shield Facility (WSF) and the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) satellites. The free-flying WSF created a super vacuum in its wake and grew thin film wafers for use in semiconductors and other high-tech electrical components.
The ORFEUS instruments, mounted on the reusable Shuttle Pallet Satellite, studied the origin and makeup of stars. Her two planned spacewalks were lost due to a jammed outer hatch on the airlock. Mission duration was a record breaking 423 hours, 53 minutes.
STS-96/Discovery (May 27 to June 6, 1999) was a 10-day mission during which the crew performed the first docking to the International Space Station, and delivered 4 tons of logistics and supplies in preparation for the arrival of the first crew to live on the station early next year.
The mission was accomplished in 153 Earth orbits, traveling 4 million miles in 235 hours and 13 minutes, during which Jernigan performed an EVA of 7 hours and 55 minute duration. 10 Oct. 2015, Pleasanton, Calif.