Astronaut: Sidney M. (Sid) Gutierrez

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas 77058

NAME: Sidney M. (Sid) Gutierrez

NASA Astronaut

BIRTHPLACE AND DATE:

Born June 27, 1951, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Father, Mr. Robert A. Gutierrez, resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mother, Mrs. Sarah E. Gutierrez, deceased.

EDUCATION:

Graduated from Valley High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1969; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the US Air Force Academy in 1973, and a master of arts degree in management from Webster College in 1977.

MARITAL STATUS:

Married to the former Marianne Sue Cremer of Jefferson City, Missouri. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee G. Cremer, reside in Brackettville, Texas.

CHILDREN:

Jennifer Anne, August 30, 1980; David McNeill, March 31, 1984; Katherine Elizabeth, January 29, 1988.

RECREATIONAL INTERESTS:

Enjoys camping, woodworking, and racquetball.

ORGANIZATIONS:

Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Air Force Association, the US Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, and the Society of Space Explorers.

SPECIAL HONORS:

NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, Two NASA Space Flight Medals, 1990 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Award, Awarded Aviation Week and 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, 1994 selected by Hispanic Achievement Award in Science, 1995 inductee into the International Space Hall of Fame, Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Academy; awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Air Training Command Master Instructor.

NASA EXPERIENCE:

Selected by NASA in May 1994, Gutierrez became an astronaut in June 1985. In his first technical assignment he served as commander for the Shuttle Avionics Intergration Laboratory (SAIL), flying simulated missions to verify Shuttle flight software. Following the Shuttle Challenger accident he served as an action officer for the Associate Administrator for Space Flight at NASA Headquarters. His duties included coordinating requests from the Presidential Commision and the US Congress during the investigation. In 1986 and 1987, he participated in the recertification of the Space Shuttle Main Engines, Main Propulsion System, and External Tank. In 1988, he became the Astronaut Office lead for Shuttle software development, verification, and future requirements definition. In 1989 he supported launches of STS-28, 30, 32, 33, and 34 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

On his first mission Gutierrez served as pilot on the crew of STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1), a dedicated space and life sciences mission, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on June 5, 1991. SLS-1 was a nine-day mission during which crew members performed experiments which explored how humans, animals, and cells respond to microgravity and re-adapt to Earth's gravity on return. Other payloads included experiments designed to investigate materials science, plant biology and cosmic radiation. Following 146 orbits of the Earth and 218 hours in space, Columbia and her crew returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on June 14, 1991.

After his first flight, Gutierrez served as spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) - the voice link between the flight crew and mission control - for STS- 42, 45, 46, 49, and 52. In 1992 he became the Astronaut Office Branch Chief for Operations Development, overseeing ascent, entry, abort, software, rendezvous, Shuttle systems, main engines, solid rocket boosters, external tank, and landing and rollout issues.

On his second mission, Col. Gutierre served as Commander of STS-59 Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1). SRL-1, part of Mission to Planet Earth, was an 11-day flight dedicated to the study of the Earth and the atmosphere around it. The two primary payloads were the Space-borne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR), and Measurement of Air Pollution from Space (MAPS). The crew completed over 400 precise maneuvers (a Shuttle record) and recorded enough data to fill 26,000 encyclopedias. Areas of investigation included ecology, oceanography, geology, and hydrology. Launching on April 9, 1994, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Endeavour and her crew of six completed 183 orbits of the Earth and 270 hours in space before landing at Edwards AFB, California, on April 20, 1994.

FEBRUARY 1997