NASA astronaut from Oregon heading to space for fourth mission

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A NASA astronaut from Silverton, Oregon is heading back to space in September — marking his fourth mission for the agency.

For his next mission to the International Space Station, Don Pettit will serve as a flight engineer for the Expedition 71/72 crew — which is exploring neuro-degenerative diseases and therapies, along with space botany, space-caused fluid shifts, and algae-based life support systems, according to NASA.

During this mission, Pettit will conduct “scientific investigations and technology demonstrations” to prepare crews for future space missions.

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Pettit will launch on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft in September, accompanied by cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The three will spend six months in space.

NASA said they selected Pettit as an astronaut in 1996, adding he has made “integral advancements in technology and demonstrations for human exploration.”

During his work with NASA, Pettit served as a science officer for Expedition 6 in 2003, operated the robotic arm for STS-126 space shuttle Endeavor in 2008, and was a flight engineer for Expedition 30-31 in 2012 — during which Pettit captured the first commercial cargo spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon, using the robotic arm.

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Pettit has logged 370 days in space and conducted two spacewalks totaling 13 hours and 17 minutes.

Pettit has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University, and a doctorate in chemical engineering from University of Arizona. Before his work with NASA, Pettit worked as a staff scientist at the Los Alamon National Laboratory in New Mexico.

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