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TERRY W. VIRTS, JR., (LIEUTENANT COLONEL, USAF)
NASA ASTRONAUT (PILOT)
PERSONAL DATA: Born in December 1967 in Baltimore, Maryland, but considers Columbia, Maryland, to be his hometown. Married to the former Stacy Hill of Columbia, Maryland. They have two children. Terry enjoys running, swimming, astronomy, photography, and church activities. His parents reside in Maryland.
EDUCATION:
Oakland Mills High School, Columbia, Maryland, 1985.
B.S., Mathematics (French minor), U.S. Air Force Academy, 1989.
M.A.S., Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 1997.
SPECIAL HONORS/AWARDS: Graduated with Academic Distinction from the United States Air Force Academy and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Distinguished Graduate of Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and F-16 training at Macdill Air Force Base, Florida. Military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, et al.
EXPERIENCE: Virts attended the Ecole de l’Air (French Air Force Academy) in 1988 on an exchange program from the United States Air Force Academy. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989. He earned his pilot wings from Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1990. From there he completed basic fighter and F-16 training and was assigned to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, as an operational F-16 pilot in the 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron. After Hurricane Andrew struck Homestead in 1992, his squadron was moved to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. From 1993 to 1994 he was assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, where he flew low altitude night attack missions in the F-16. Following his tour in Korea, he was reassigned to the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, from 1995 to 1998. There he flew the suppression of enemy air defenses missions, logging 45 combat missions in the F-16. Virts was selected for Test Pilot School in 1997 and was a member of the USAF Test Pilot School class 98B at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Following graduation, he was an Experimental Test Pilot at theF-16 Combined Test Force at Edwards from 1999 until his selection as a member of the 18th group of astronaut candidates in 2000.
He has logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as a pilot by NASA in July 2000, Lieutenant Colonel. Virts reported for training in August 2000. His technical assignments have included lead astronaut for the T-38 program as well as Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) supporting Shuttle software upgrades. He is currently assigned as the crew support astronaut for the Expedition-9 mission to the International Space Station.
APRIL 2004
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