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Former astronaut Tom Henricks flew four Space Shuttle missions in less than five years to become the first person to log over 1,000 hours as a space shuttle pilot/commander. Accepted into NASA's astronaut program in 1985, he became the only astronaut assigned to the Shuttle Program Office during the return to flight phase following the Challenger accident. In addition, he held many key technical and management positions at both the Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center.
In 1991, Henricks became the youngest colonel in the United States Air Force (USAF). During his USAF career, he flew fighter planes throughout the U. S. and Europe, including Iceland. He was a Top Gun and a test pilot on the F-4 and F-16 aircraft. Overall, he has flown more than 30 different types of aircraft and logged over 6,000 hours flying time. In 1997, he began a business career and is now an executive with a Fortune 500 company.
Born in 1952 in Bryan, Ohio, Henricks received
a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the USAF Academy
and a masters degree in public administration from Golden Gate University.
He has earned numerous accolades, including the NASA Outstanding Leadership
Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, an honorary doctorate from Defiance
College and a space in the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Henricks currently
resides in Rhode Island with his wife Rebecca.