| John Bennett Herrington | |
|---|---|
| NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Retired |
| Born | September 14, 1958 Wetumka, Oklahoma |
| Other occupation | Test pilot/Astronaut |
| Rank | Commander, USN |
| Time in space | 13d 18h 47m [1] |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-113 |
| Mission insignia | |
John Bennett Herrington (born September 14, 1958) is an American business executive, former US Navy officer and former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of one Space Shuttle mission. He is the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.
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Herrington was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma. He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Riverton, Wyoming, and Plano, Texas, where he graduated from Plano Senior High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs before receiving his commission in the United States Navy in 1984.
To honor his Native American heritage, Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, carried a Chickasaw Nation flag on his eleven-day trip. The flag had been presented to him by Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby.
Herrington received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in March 1984 and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1985. He reported to Patrol Squadron Thirty-One (VP-31) at the Moffett Field Naval Air Station, Mountain View, California for initial training in the P-3C Orion. His first operational assignment was with Patrol Squadron Forty-Eight (VP-48) where he made three operational deployments, two to the Northern Pacific based from Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska and one to the Western Pacific based from the Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Republic of the Philippines. While assigned to VP-48, Herrington was designated a Patrol Plane Commander, Mission Commander, and Patrol Plane Instructor Pilot. Following completion of his first operational tour, Herrington then returned to VP-31 as a Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor Pilot. While assigned to VP-31 he was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland in January 1990. After graduation in December, 1990, he reported to the Force Warfare Aircraft Test Directorate as a project test pilot for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System. Herrington conducted additional flight test assignments flying numerous variants of the P-3 Orion as well as the T-34C and the DeHavilland Dash 7. Following his selection as an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer, Herrington reported to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School where he completed a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1995. Herrington was assigned as a special projects officer to the Bureau of Naval Personnel Sea Duty Component when selected for the astronaut program.
Selected by NASA in April 1996, Herrington reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. He completed two years of training and evaluation, and qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Herrington was assigned to the Flight Support Branch of the Astronaut Office where he served as a member of the Astronaut Support Personnel team responsible for Shuttle launch preparations and post-landing operations. He flew on STS-113 logging over 330 hours in space, including 3 EVAs totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. In July 2003, Herrington served as the commander of the NEEMO 6 mission aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory, living and working underwater for ten days.[2] Herrington retired from the Navy and NASA in July 2005.
STS-113 Endeavour (November 23 – December 7, 2002) was the sixteenth Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. Mission accomplishments included the delivery of the Expedition 6 crew, the delivery, installation and activation of the P1 Truss, and the transfer of cargo from Shuttle to the Station. During the mission Herrington performed three EVAs totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. STS-113 brought home the Expedition 5 crew from their 6-month stay aboard the Station. Mission duration was 13 days, 18 hours and 47 minutes.
In September 2005, Herrington resigned from NASA to become Vice President/Director of flight Operations for Rocketplane Limited, Inc., where he replaced Mitchell Burnside Clapp. He will also serve as the pilot of the XP Spaceplane. Herrington also provides part time support for the Center for Space Studies at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
In December 2007, Herrington resigned from Rocketplane, and stated that he plans to continue doing public speaking engagements as well as work with the Chickasaw Nation.[3]
In 2008 Herrington embarked on a cross-country bicycle ride through the United States from Cape Flattery, Washington to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The ride took three months, from August 13 to November 15, 2008.[4]
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