Sidney M. Gutierrez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sid Gutierrez
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| Born | June 27, 1951 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, USAF |
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Time in space
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20d 8h 3m |
| Selection | NASA Group 10 (1984) |
| Missions | STS-40 STS-59 |
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Mission insignia
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Sidney McNeill "Sid" Gutierrez, born on June 27, 1951, is an American pilot who used to be a NASA astronaut. After leaving NASA, Sid worked in important jobs at Sandia National Laboratories and Rocket Crafters Inc.
Contents
Sid's Early Life and School
Sid Gutierrez was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He finished high school there in 1969. He then studied aeronautical engineering at the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1973. Later, he earned a master's degree in management from Webster University in 1977.
Sid's Amazing Career
Sid Gutierrez was part of the Air Force Academy Parachute Team that won a national championship. He made over 550 jumps and was a Master Parachutist. After college, he became a pilot and taught others to fly T-38 planes from 1975 to 1977.
In 1978, Sid flew the F-15 Eagle fighter jet. He went to the USAF Test Pilot School in 1981. After that, he became a test pilot for the F-16 Falcon. He helped test how the F-16's engine and structure worked. He also tested its brakes and how it could be stopped quickly.
Sid has flown for over 4,500 hours in about 30 different types of aircraft. These include airplanes, gliders, balloons, and even rockets!
Becoming a NASA Astronaut
NASA chose Sid Gutierrez to be an astronaut in May 1984, and he officially became one in June 1985. His first job was to command the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Here, he flew pretend missions to make sure the Space Shuttle's computer programs worked correctly.
After the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, Sid helped NASA during the investigation. He worked with the Presidential Commission and the U.S. Congress. In 1986 and 1987, he helped make sure the Space Shuttle Main Engines and other parts were safe to use again. In 1988, he led the astronaut team for developing and testing Shuttle software. In 1989, he helped with several Shuttle launches at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Flying in Space
Sid Gutierrez flew two missions into space, spending over 488 hours there. He was the pilot for STS-40 and the commander for STS-59.
After his first flight, Sid worked as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM). This meant he was the voice that linked the astronauts in space to mission control on Earth. He did this for several missions, including STS-42 and STS-45. In 1992, he became a leader in the Astronaut Office. He oversaw important areas like how the Shuttle took off, landed, and how its systems worked.
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STS-40: Spacelab Life Sciences
Sid's first space mission was STS-40, called Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1). It launched from Florida on June 5, 1991. This nine-day mission focused on how humans, animals, and cells react to being in space (microgravity). The crew also studied how they got used to Earth's gravity again when they returned. They also did experiments on materials, plants, and cosmic radiation.
After orbiting Earth 146 times, the Columbia landed in California on June 14, 1991. The mission lasted 218 hours, 14 minutes, and 20 seconds.
STS-59: Space Radar Laboratory
Sid's second mission was STS-59, the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1). This eleven-day flight, which started on April 9, 1994, was all about studying Earth and its atmosphere. The main tools were a special radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) and a device to measure air pollution (MAPS).
The crew made over 400 precise movements with the Shuttle, which was a record! They took about 14,000 photos of over 400 places on Earth, another Shuttle record. They collected so much data that it would fill 26,000 encyclopedias! They studied things like ecology, oceans, geology, and water. The Endeavour and its six crew members orbited Earth 183 times before landing in California on April 20, 1994.
After NASA
In September 1994, Sid Gutierrez left the U.S. Air Force and NASA. He moved back to his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He joined Sandia National Laboratories, where he held several important leadership jobs. He managed programs that brought new ideas and technologies to satellites and space sensors. He also helped find ways to make systems safer and created tools for analysis.
In 2012, he joined Rocket Crafters Inc. (now Vaya Space) on their board of directors. In February 2015, he retired from Sandia to become the chairman and CEO of Rocket Crafters. He has also served on the boards of other companies and non-profit groups. He was also part of NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.
Sid's Personal Life
Sid is married to Marianne Sue Cremer. They have three children. For fun, he enjoys camping, woodworking, and playing racquetball.
Special Awards and Honors
Sid Gutierrez has received many awards for his achievements:
NASA Awards
- NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
- NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal
- Two NASA Space Flight Medals
- Inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1995
Hispanic Community Awards
- 1990 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Award
- Awarded Aviation Week & Space Technology Aerospace Laureate in Space and Missiles for 1991
- Hispanic Engineer magazine 1992 Hispanic Engineer of the Year National Achievement Award
- Aviation Week and Space Technology Citation for Aerospace Laureate in Space and Missiles for 1994
- Selected by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in 1994
- Selected by Hispanic Magazine for the 1995 Hispanic Achievement Award in Science
New Mexico Awards
- 2010 Notable New Mexican
Military Awards
- Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Academy
- Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal
- The Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
- National Defense Service Medal
- Air Training Command Master Instructor
Other Honors
- A middle school in Roswell, New Mexico, is named after him.
- He received an honorary doctorate degree from Webster University in 2019.
See also
- List of Hispanic astronauts
