An ‘astronomical’ event: The Citadel’s first man in space returns to recount his out of this world journey

CHARLESTON, SC – March 16, 2010 – NASA Astronaut Lt. Col. Randy Bresnik made Citadel history last November as the first graduate of the Military College of South Carolina to travel in space. This month he will return to his alma mater to talk about his role in that mission and how his Citadel education prepared him for his career in the Marine Corps and with NASA.

“Most people wonder if they will ever get the chance to realize their full potential.  Those who attend The Citadel don’t have to wonder. They know,” Bresnik said. “I do not believe I would have blasted off on the space shuttle Atlantis…if I had not made that choice to experience the complete leadership education The Citadel provides.”

Bresnik will take part in the college’s third annual Principled Leadership Symposium and the 167th birthday celebration of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets March 18-20. He also will present items that took into space, including a replica of the original Big Red flag.

Earlier this month, the college received on loan what is believed to be the original flag that flew over Morris Island in 1861 when cadets fired upon the federal supply ship The Star of the West. It had been in storage at the State Historical Society of Iowa. The flag will be officially unveiled at 2 p.m. Friday, March 19 at an invitation-only event (media are encouraged to attend/additional advisory forthcoming). The flag will go on public display on Saturday, March 20 at the Holliday Alumni Center, 69 Hagood Ave. Bresnik is among the guests attending the unveiling.

 A 1989 graduate of The Citadel, Bresnik will speak to cadets and other student delegates during the Leadership Symposium luncheon. While on campus he will meet with instructors, cadets and active duty students in the Navy ROTC unit along with the Regimental Band and Pipes. Bresnik was a drummer in the band when he was a cadet.

Bresnik missed his 20-year class reunion in 2009 because he was in space. His visit this month will include his wife, Rebecca, a NASA attorney. She will take part in the symposium’s science and technology panel discussions on Thursday, March 18.

For more about Bresnik’s space mission visit “The Citadel in Space” at www.citadel.edu/atlantis/.
 

OFFICIAL NASA BIO: Lt. Col. Randolph J. Bresnik, USMC, NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born September 11, 1967 in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Considers Santa Monica, California to be his hometown.  Married to the former Rebecca Burgin of Pompton Plains, New Jersey, they have a son and a daughter.  He enjoys travel, music, photography, weight training, sports, scuba diving, motorcycling, and flying warbirds.  His father Albert ‘Randy’ Bresnik resides in Santa Monica, California.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California, in 1985.  B.A. in Mathematics from The Citadel, 1989. M.S. in Aviation Systems, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 2002. Graduate of Air War College, 2008.

ORGANIZATIONS: Society of Experimental Test Pilots.  Association of Naval Aviation.
AWARDS:  Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3), Presidential Unit Citation and various other service awards.

SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished Graduate: The Citadel NROTC, Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, Navy Flight Training. “Iron Mike” Physical Fitness Award, USMC Officer Basic School. The Outstanding Student Award, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.  Empire Test Pilot School Award, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.  Stephen A. Hazelrigg Memorial Award for Best Test Pilot/Engineer Team, Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron.  “Best Paper” Award, European Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

EXPERIENCE: Bresnik received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1989.  After graduation he attended The Basic School (TBS) and Infantry Officers Course (IOC)

in Quantico, Virginia.  He attended Primary flight training in Pensacola, Florida, Intermediate and Advanced flight training in Beeville, Texas, and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1992.  He completed initial F/A-18 training at Navy Fighter/Attack Training Squadron VFA-106, NAS Cecil Field, Florida.  Upon completion of training he reported to Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron, VMFA-212 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, then MCAS El Toro, California, and additionally MCAS Miramar, California, where he made three overseas deployments to the Western Pacific.  While assigned to VMFA-212, he attended the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course (WTI) and Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN).  Bresnik was selected for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and began the course in January 1999.  After graduation in December 1999, he was assigned as an F/A-18 Test Pilot/Project Officer at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS).  While at Strike, Bresnik flew the F/A-18 A-D and F/A-18 E/F in all manners of flight test.  In January 2001, he returned to the USNTPS as a Fixed-Wing and Systems Flight Instructor, where he instructed in the F/A-18, T-38, and T-2.  Bresnik returned to NSATS in January 2002 to continue flight test on the F/A-18 A-F as the Platform/Project Coordinator.  In November 2002, he reported to Marine Aircraft Group Eleven (MAG-11) as the Future Operations Officer.  In January 2003 MAG-11 deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait.  From Al Jaber he flew combat missions in the F/A-18 with VMFA-225 in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He was the Operations Officer of VMFA-232 when he was selected as an astronaut.

He has logged over 5,000 hours in 79 types of aircraft.  He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Rating and an Unlimited Piston Engine Letter of Authorization.

NASA EXPERIENCE:  Selected by NASA in May 2004.  In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training.  Bresnik completed his first flight on STS-129 in November 2009 and has logged over 259 hours in space, including 11 hours and 50 minutes in 2 EVAs.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-129 (November 16-29, 2009) was the 31st shuttle flight to the International Space Station.  During the mission the crew delivered two Express Logistics Carriers (ELC racks) to the International Space Station, about 30,000 pounds of replacement parts for systems that provide power to the station, keep it from overheating, and maintain proper orientation in space.  During the mission Bresnik performed two spacewalks for a total of 11 hours and 50 minutes of EVA .  The STS-129 mission was completed in 10 days, 19 hours, 16 minutes and 13 seconds, traveling 4.5 million miles in 171 orbits, and returned to Earth bringing back with them NASA Astronaut, Nicole Stott, following her tour of duty aboard the Space Station.