John Herrington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Herrington
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Herrington in 2002
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| Born |
John Bennett Herrington
September 14, 1958 |
| Nationality | Chickasaw Nation, American |
| Awards | Chickasaw Hall of Fame (2002) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Commander, USN |
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Time in space
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13d 18h 47m |
| Selection | NASA Group 16 (1996) |
| Missions | STS-113 |
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Mission insignia
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John Bennett Herrington (born September 14, 1958) is a retired U.S. Naval Aviator, engineer, and former NASA astronaut. He is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. In 2002, Herrington made history by becoming the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly into space.
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Early life and education
John Herrington was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma. He grew up in different places, including Colorado Springs, Colorado, Riverton, Wyoming, and Plano, Texas. He finished high school in Plano.
He earned a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. After that, he joined the United States Navy in 1984.
To honor his Chickasaw background, Herrington carried the Chickasaw Nation flag with him into space. The flag was given to him by Governor Bill Anoatubby of the Chickasaw Nation.
Later, in 2014, he earned his PhD in education from the University of Idaho.
Herrington became an officer in the U.S. Navy in March 1984. A year later, he became a Naval Aviator, meaning he was trained to fly Navy aircraft. He flew the P-3C Orion plane, which is used for patrols. He went on three missions, flying over the Northern Pacific and Western Pacific oceans.
After his first missions, Herrington became an instructor pilot. He was then chosen to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School. This school trains pilots to test new aircraft. After graduating, he worked as a project test pilot, flying different versions of the P-3 Orion and other planes.
He later earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. Before becoming an astronaut, he worked on special projects for the Navy.
NASA career
NASA chose John Herrington to be an astronaut in April 1996. He moved to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Texas. For two years, he trained to become a mission specialist. This role means he would be in charge of specific tasks during a space mission.
He also worked in the Astronaut Office, helping with Space Shuttle launches and landings.
Spaceflight mission: STS-113
John Herrington was chosen for the STS-113 mission. This was the sixteenth Space Shuttle trip to the International Space Station (ISS). The Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on November 23, 2002.
The main goal of the mission was to deliver a large part called the P1 Truss to the ISS. This truss helps support the station's radiators. The Endeavour also brought a new crew, called Expedition 6, to the station. It then brought the Expedition 5 crew back to Earth. The whole mission lasted 13 days, 18 hours, and 47 minutes.
During the mission, Herrington went on three spacewalks. He spent a total of 19 hours and 55 minutes outside the Space Station. These spacewalks are even shown on the back of the 2019 Sacagawea dollar coin!
Underwater laboratory
In July 2004, Herrington led the NEEMO 6 mission. This mission took place in the Aquarius underwater laboratory. He lived and worked underwater for ten days, practicing skills that astronauts might need in space.
Herrington retired from the Navy and NASA in July 2005.
Life after NASA
After leaving NASA, Herrington worked for a company called Rocketplane Limited, Inc. He was a Vice President and planned to be a pilot for their XP Spaceplane.
In 2007, he left Rocketplane. He decided to focus on public speaking and working with the Chickasaw Nation.
Cross-country bike ride
In 2008, Herrington went on a long bicycle ride across the United States. He rode from Cape Flattery, Washington, all the way to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The journey took him three months, from August to November 2008.
Honors and recognition
John Herrington has received many honors. He was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2017, he joined the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was one of the first people inducted into the National Native American Hall of Fame.
Speaking to others
Today, John Herrington travels around the country. He speaks to students, teachers, and businesses. He shares his unique experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and his time as an aviator and astronaut.
See also
In Spanish: John Herrington para niños
