Joe F. Edwards, Jr. joined NASA as an astronaut in 1995, when he was selected as one of 19 candidates from a pool of 3,000 applicants. Three years later, he piloted STS-89, an orbital mission to the Space Station, Mir, delivering the last American crewmember to the Russian outpost. Over the nine-day flight, his crew flew 3.6 million miles, made 138 Earth orbits and flew the closest flying maneuvers ever attempted around Mir. He has played a vital role in the U.S.'s space relationship with Russia by serving as NASA's Director of Operations in Star City, Russia, where he managed over 100 astronauts, civil servants and contractor personnel.
Prior to his NASA career, Edwards spent three years in the Operations Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) under General Colin Powell. There he was responsible for the operation and maintenance of three, worldwide highly classified computer systems, as well as developing political and military policy for the JCS, Secretary of Defense, U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch. A graduate of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as TOPGUN, Edwards is also an accomplished F-14 Naval Aviator. A veteran of campaigns in Lebanon, Libya and the Persian Gulf, he has flown over 4500 flight hours in over 30 types of aircraft, has logged 650 aircraft carrier arrested landings and 27 combat missions. He holds 23 military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of 63 awarded by the Navy since World War II and the only one awarded in peacetime.
Born in 1958 in Richmond, Virginia, Edwards earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Naval Academy and three master's degrees from the University of Tennessee, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and the Armed Forces Staff College.
After retiring from NASA, Edwards held the position of Director of Global Bandwidth Risk Management with Enron Broadband Services (EBS) in Houston. Currently, Edwards is President and CEO of Edwards Consulting Services, a technology and business development consulting operation while completing his first book detailing his experiences as an astronaut and Navy fighter pilot during the Cold War.
Edwards and his wife Janet reside in Friendswood,
Texas with their young daughter.