Daniel C. Brandenstein
Daniel Charles Brandenstein is a retired United States Navy captain, naval aviator, test pilot, four-flight NASA astronaut, and former Chief of the Astronaut Office. His shuttle career spans early operational testing, commercial satellite deployment, LDEF retrieval, and Endeavour's first mission.
- Born
- January 17, 1943
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Watertown, Wisconsin,United States
Flights
4
Spacewalks
0
EVA time
N/A
In space
32 days, 21 hours, 3 minutes
Bio
Brandenstein earned a mathematics and physics degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and became a Navy pilot. He flew combat missions in Southeast Asia, graduated from test pilot school, and joined NASA in the 1978 astronaut group.
He piloted STS-8 and commanded STS-51-G, STS-32, and STS-49. STS-49 was the maiden flight of Endeavour and included the record-setting three-person to capture and repair Intelsat VI.
Between 1987 and 1992, Brandenstein served as Chief of the Astronaut Office. He retired from NASA and the Navy in October 1992 and later held senior leadership roles with United Space Alliance.