Samuel T. Durrance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Thornton Durrance
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| Born | September 17, 1943 Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
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| Died | May 5, 2023 (aged 79) Viera, Florida, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Physicist |
| Space career | |
| JHU Payload Specialist | |
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Time in space
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25d 14h 13min |
| Missions | STS-35, STS-67 |
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Mission insignia
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Samuel Thornton Durrance (born September 17, 1943 – died May 5, 2023) was an American scientist. He was also an astronaut who flew on two NASA Space Shuttle missions. He was known for his work as a payload specialist, helping with scientific experiments in space.
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About Samuel Durrance
Early Life and Education
Samuel Durrance was born on September 17, 1943, in Tallahassee, Florida. He grew up in Tampa, Florida. He went to Plant High School and graduated in 1961. He was a talented football player in high school.
He studied physics at California State University, Los Angeles. He earned his first two degrees there in 1972 and 1974. Later, he received a PhD in astro-geophysics from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1980.
A Scientist's Journey
Dr. Durrance was a lead research scientist at Johns Hopkins University. He worked in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He helped build the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope. This telescope was part of the Astro Observatory.
From 2000, he led the Florida Space Research Institute. This institute was located at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. He also taught physics at Florida Institute of Technology.
He was a member of many important scientific groups. These included the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union.
Discoveries and Research
Dr. Durrance helped create special equipment for space. This included optical and mechanical parts for telescopes. He designed and built tools like spectrometers. These tools help study light from space.
He also led a team that developed adaptive optics. This technology helps telescopes on Earth see clearer. His team discovered a cool brown dwarf orbiting a nearby star. He also helped find changes in a planet-forming disk. This disk was around the star beta Pictoris.
His research covered many exciting topics. He studied how our Solar System formed. He also looked for planets around other stars. He was interested in planetary astronomy and atmospheric physics. He even studied the origin of life. He wrote over 60 scientific papers about his work.
Space Missions
Dr. Durrance was chosen for a space mission in March 1986. This mission, STS-61-E, was canceled. This happened after the Challenger disaster.
He eventually flew on two Space Shuttle missions. He spent over 615 hours in space. He was a payload specialist on both flights.
- STS-35/Astro-1: This mission was on Space Shuttle Columbia. It launched in 1990.
- STS-67/Astro-2: This mission was on Space Shuttle Endeavour. It launched in 1995.
On these missions, he helped operate the Astro Observatory. This observatory carried telescopes to study ultraviolet light.
Later Years
After his time as an astronaut, Dr. Durrance continued teaching. He was a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology. He taught in the Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences.
Samuel Durrance passed away on May 5, 2023. He was 79 years old.
