U.S. Human Space Travel Ends Next Year
NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski is leaving the agency to take a job in the private sector. Parazynski, a medical doctor, is a veteran of five space shuttle flights and seven spacewalks, including one where he performed a breathtaking repair of a ripped solar array while teetering at the end of a fully-extended robotic arm, close to high-voltage solar electrical generators.
His departure comes as NASA faces the loss of its manned space flight capabilities for half a decade, starting next year when space shuttles retire. After that, U.S. astronauts will have to hitch rides to space on Russian Soyuz vehicles.
“Scott is an exceptional astronaut who has served NASA and the Astronaut Office with distinction during these past 17 years,” said Steve Lindsey, chief of the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston. “In particular, his spacewalking expertise has helped pave the way to successful assembly of the International Space Station. As a colleague, former crewmate, and friend, I wish him the very best in his future career — he will be missed.”
Parazynski flew on shuttle missions STS-66 in 1994, STS-86 in 1997, STS-95 in 1998, STS-100 in 2001 and STS-120 in 2007. He has logged more than 1,381 hours in space, including more than 47 hours spacewalking.
He flew on missions that traveled to the Russian Mir Space Station, the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. He was selected as an astronaut in March 1992.