When the opportunity arises to relax, Richards enjoys golf, running, cycling, sailing, snow skiing, cooking and home repair/improvement.

Richards is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Society of Naval Engineers and the United States Naval Reserves.

During his career with the navy and NASA, Richards has received many awards including receiving the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in 1994, and the Certificate of Recognition for Patent Application in 1996.

Richards's vast experience has included being a member of the U.S. Naval reserved and working for the Department of the Navy, Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station from 1983 to 1987. In 1987, he was transferred to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and worked in the Engineering Directorate, where he was EVA Tool Development Engineer for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Project Manager for HST EVA crew aids, tools and hardware.

Richards was selected by NASA in April 1996, and reported to work in the fall of that same year. Richards supported various assignments before being assigned to fly in space on March 8, 2001 aboard Discovery mission, STS-102. It was the eighth Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. Richards performed an EVA totaling 6 hours and 21minutes. In total he has spent 307 hours and 49 minutes in space.

On February 15, 2002, Richards retired from NASA to pursue other business opportunities in the Houston, Texas and the Washington, DC areas.