John Herrington

Intro

John Bennett Herrington is a retired NASA astronaut and Navy Commander. In 2002, John became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.

Early Life

John was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma as a member of the Chickasaw Nation. He and his family moved around frequently during John's childhood, having lived in Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas before his senior year of high school. After an unsuccessful attempt at college, John worked on a survey team in the Colorado mountains. There, he discovered a talent for math and solving real-life problems. John would then return to college, receiving his degree in applied math in 1983.

U.S. Navy Career

Having always desired to be a pilot, John enlisted with the Navy and received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in March of 1984 and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1985. John logged over 3,300 flight hours in over 30 different types of aircraft. In 1995 John received a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

NASA Career

Selected as an astronaut in 1996, John reported to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in August of that year. He trained for two years to qualify as a member of the Astronaut Support Personnel team responsible for Shuttle launch preparations and post-landing operations. John retired from NASA in July 2005.

Space Heritage

John was a member of the sixteenth Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station (November 23-December 7, 2002). He was the first Native American to walk in space. To honor his Native American heritage, John carried six eagle feathers, a braid of sweetgrass, two arrowheads, and the Chickasaw Nation's flag during the walk.

Underwater Laboratory

In July 2004, John served as the commander of the NEEMO 6 mission. The mission served as a field test in locations that physically resemble extreme space environments. Aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory, he and his crew lived and worked underwater for ten days.

Personal Life

John is a life member of the Association of Naval Aviation, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Alumni Association, a Sequoyah Fellow, and a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. He and his wife Debra have two children.