Steven Hawley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven Hawley
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Steven Alan Hawley
December 12, 1951 Ottawa, Kansas, U.S.
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| Space career | |
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Time in space
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32d 2h 42min |
| Selection | NASA Group 8 (1978) |
| Missions | STS-41-D STS-61-C STS-31 STS-82 STS-93 |
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Mission insignia
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Steven Alan Hawley, born on December 12, 1951, is a former NASA astronaut. He flew on five Space Shuttle missions for the United States. Today, he is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas. He also directs the engineering physics program there.
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Steven Hawley's Early Life
Steven Hawley was born in Ottawa, Kansas, on December 12, 1951. His parents were Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Hawley. Steven has a brother, John F. Hawley, who became a theoretical astrophysicist. John even won the Shaw Prize in Astronomy in 2013.
Steven graduated from Salina High School Central in Salina, Kansas, in 1969. He considers Salina his hometown. He then went to the University of Kansas. In 1973, he earned two degrees with high honors: one in Physics and one in Astronomy.
Before starting his advanced studies, he worked as a research assistant for three summers.
- In 1972, he worked at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C..
- In 1973 and 1974, he worked at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia.
He continued his education at Lick Observatory, part of the University of California, Santa Cruz. His main advisor was William L. Burke. In 1977, Steven earned his doctorate degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
What Did Steven Hawley Study?
Steven Hawley's research focused on studying light from space. He used a method called spectrophotometry. This helped him analyze glowing clouds of gas, called nebulae, and galaxies that give off light, known as emission-line galaxies. He was especially interested in figuring out what chemicals these objects were made of. His findings were published in important astronomy magazines.
Before NASA chose him in 1978, Hawley was a researcher. He worked at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in La Serena, Chile. Now, he is a Professor (Emeritus) of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas. This means he is retired but still holds his title.
Steven Hawley's Space Flights
Steven Hawley spent a total of 770 hours and 27 minutes in space. He flew on five different Space Shuttle missions. He was a mission specialist on these flights:
Hawley was the last astronaut from his group, NASA Astronaut Group 8, to fly in space. He is also the only astronaut who helped launch the Hubble Space Telescope (on STS-31) and then later flew on a mission to fix it (on STS-82).
STS-41-D: Discovery's First Flight
The mission STS-41-D with the Space Shuttle Discovery took place from August 30 to September 5, 1984. It was the very first flight for the Space Shuttle Discovery. The shuttle launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
During this seven-day mission, the crew did many important things:
- They successfully turned on the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment.
- They launched three satellites: SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C.
- They ran experiments on crystal growth and took photos with an IMAX camera.
The mission completed 96 trips around the Earth. It lasted for 144 hours and 57 minutes.
Before this successful launch, there was an attempt that was stopped. Two main engines started, but the third one didn't. After this tense moment, Hawley reportedly lightened the mood. He joked, "Gee, I thought we'd be a lot higher at MECO!"
STS-61-C: Columbia's Mission
The mission STS-61-C with the Space Shuttle Columbia happened from January 12 to 18, 1986. It launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle then made a night landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
During this six-day flight, the crew achieved several goals:
- They launched the SATCOM K1 satellite.
- They performed experiments related to Astrophysics and how materials are processed in space.
This mission lasted for 146 hours and 03 minutes.
STS-31: Deploying the Hubble Telescope
The mission STS-31 with Discovery took place from April 24 to 29, 1990. It launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It also landed back at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
During this five-day mission, the crew's main task was to launch the Hubble Space Telescope. This was a huge moment for science! They also did other experiments:
- They studied how protein crystals grow in space.
- They looked at how polymer membranes work.
- They observed the effects of weightlessness and magnetic fields on an ion arc.
The astronauts also used various cameras, including IMAX cameras. They took amazing pictures of Earth from a record-setting height of 380 miles. The mission completed 76 orbits around Earth and lasted 121 hours.
STS-82: Fixing the Hubble Telescope
The mission STS-82 with Discovery happened from February 11 to 21, 1997. This was the second time astronauts went to fix the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The shuttle launched at night and returned with a night landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Steven Hawley's main job on this flight was to use the Shuttle's 50-foot robot arm. He used it to grab the HST and then put it back in space after it was upgraded and repaired. Hawley also controlled the robot arm during five spacewalks. During these spacewalks, two teams of astronauts:
- Installed two new instruments called spectrometers.
- Replaced eight other instruments.
- Put new insulation patches over three important compartments. These compartments held key data-processing, electronics, and science instrument parts.
After all the repairs, the HST was put back into orbit and boosted to a higher position. The flight completed 149 orbits. It covered 3.8 million miles in 9 days, 23 hours, and 37 minutes.
STS-93: Launching Chandra
The mission STS-93 with Columbia took place from July 22 to 27, 1999. It launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center. It returned to KSC for the 12th night landing in the Space Shuttle Program's history.
Steven Hawley served as Columbia's flight engineer on this mission. The main goal was to successfully launch the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This was the third of NASA's "Great Observatories," after the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
Hawley also operated a second telescope inside the crew module. This telescope was used for several days to observe different objects in our Solar System using ultraviolet light. The mission completed 79 orbits. It lasted 4 days, 22 hours, and 50 minutes.
Organizations Steven Hawley Belongs To
Steven Hawley is a member of several important groups:
- The American Astronomical Society
- The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Sigma Pi Sigma
- Phi Beta Kappa
He is now retired and lives in Lawrence, Kansas. His parents also live there.
Steven Hawley's Personal Life
Steven Hawley married fellow astronaut Sally Ride in 1982. They divorced in 1987. Later, he married Eileen M. Keegan. She was a public-affairs officer at NASA. In 2013, she became the spokeswoman for then-Kansas Governor Sam Brownback.
Steven enjoys many activities like basketball, softball, golf, and running. He also likes playing bridge and umpiring sports games. Steven Hawley even appeared on an episode of the TV show Home Improvement with Space Shuttle Commander, Kenneth Bowersox.
Honors and Awards for Steven Hawley
Steven Hawley has received many scholarships, honors, and awards throughout his career:
- Evans Foundation Scholarship, 1970
- University of Kansas Honor Scholarship, 1970
- Summerfield Scholarship, 1970–1973
- Veta B. Lear Award, 1970
- Stranathan Award, 1972
- Outstanding Physics Major Award, 1973
- University of California Regents Fellowship, 1974
- Group Achievement Award for software testing at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, 1981
- NASA Outstanding Performance Award, 1981
- NASA Superior Performance Award, 1981
- Group Achievement Award for Second Orbiter Test and Checkout at Kennedy Space Center, 1982
- Quality Increase, 1982
- NASA Space Flight Medal (1984, 1986, 1990, 1997, 1999)
- Group Achievement Award for JSC Strategic Planning, 1987
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988, 1991)
- Special Achievement Award, 1988
- Exceptional Service Medal for Return to Flight, 1988
- Outstanding Leadership Medal, 1990
- Special Achievement Award, 1990
- Haley Flight Achievement Award, 1991
- Kansan of the Year Award, 1992
- Group Achievement Award for ESIG 3000 Integration Project, 1994
- Presidential Rank Award (1994, 1999)
- Group Achievement Award for Space Shuttle Program Functional Workforce Review, 1995
- Group Achievement Award for SFOC Contract Acquisition, 1997
- Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame, 1997
- University of Kansas Distinguished Service Citation, 1998
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1998, 2000)
- Aviation Week & Space Technology Laurel Citation for Space, 1998
- V.M. Komarov Diploma from the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) (1998, 2000)
- Inductee, Astronaut Hall of Fame (2007)
- Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Kansas, (2007)
- Distinguished Alumni Award, UC Santa Cruz, 1991
- Communication and Leadership Award (2015), Toastmasters District 22
