HOUSTON – NASA astronauts Robert Satcher and Charles Hobaugh have left the agency to pursue outside careers. Satcher’s last day with NASA was Sept. 9 and Hobaugh’s Sept. 23.
“Bobby is an exceptionally talented individual” said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office. “His medical skills coupled with his engineering expertise were a valuable contribution to our team.”
Satcher holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as a doctorate of medicine from Harvard Medical School. He served as a mission specialist on STS-129 in 2009 and completed two spacewalks during the flight.
“Charlie is one of a kind. Not only an immensely skilled aviator, he continuously strived for and pushed for the best from our office and our larger mission support team” said Whitson. “We wish both of them the best in this new phase of their careers.”
Hobaugh, a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions. He flew as a pilot on STS-104 in 2001 and STS-118 in 2007. He went on to command STS-129 in 2009, ending his NASA career with more than 875 hours of spaceflight experience.
For Satcher,s complete biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/satcher-rl.html
For Hobaugh,s complete biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/hobaugh.html
