16 Facts About Bob Behnken

Robert Louis Behnken is an American engineer, a former NASA astronaut, and former Chief of the Astronaut Office.

Bob Behnken flew aboard Space Shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-130 as a mission specialist, accumulating over 708 hours in space, including 55 hours of spacewalk time.

Bob Behnken attended Pattonville High School in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and went on to earn Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and physics from Washington University in St Louis in 1992.

Bob Behnken then attended the California Institute of Technology, where he earned an MS degree in 1993 and a PhD in 1997, both in mechanical engineering.

Bob Behnken was next assigned to attend the US Air Force Test Pilot School Flight Test Engineer's course at Edwards AFB, California.

Bob Behnken flew in both the F-15 and F-16 aircraft in support of the F-22 flight test program.

In September 2006, Bob Behnken served as an aquanaut during the NEEMO 11 mission aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory, living and working underwater for seven days.

Bob Behnken was a crew member of the STS-123 mission that delivered the Japanese Experiment Module and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator to the International Space Station in March 2008.

Bob Behnken flew to space for the second time as a mission specialist on STS-130, which launched at 04:14 EST February 8,2010.

Bob Behnken again took part in three spacewalks during this mission.

In July 2012, Bob Behnken was named Chief of the Astronaut Office, succeeding Peggy Whitson.

Bob Behnken held the job until July 2015, when he was succeeded by Chris Cassidy, after being selected as one of four astronauts training to fly spacecraft contracted under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Bob Behnken is married to fellow astronaut Megan McArthur and they have one son.

Bob Behnken holds an amateur radio license with the call sign KE5GGX.

Bob Behnken's wife flew on the Crew-2 mission, using the same Dragon capsule and the same seat that Behnken himself used during the Demo-2 mission.

Bob Behnken returned from the International Space Station on November 8,2021.