NAME: Kenneth Ham
Commander,
USN
NASA Astronaut
PERSONAL
DATA: Born December 12, 1964 in Plainfield, New
Jersey. Two children,
Ryan and Randy. He is married to Michelle Ham ( nee Lucas) from Hobart, Indiana. His parents, Ed and Marion Ham, reside in Brunswick, Maine. Recreational interests include running, weight lifting,
all sports, general aviation, snow and water skiing, and sky and scuba diving.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Arthur L. Johnson Regional High
School, Clark, New Jersey, in 1983. Bachelor of science degree in aerospace
engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, 1987. Master of science degree in
aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, 1996.
ORGANIZATIONS: Society of Experimental Test
Pilots, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.
SPECIAL
HONORS:
Distinguished Graduate U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.
EXPERIENCE: Ken received his commission as an
ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. He was temporarily assigned to the NASA-JSC zero-g
office at Ellington Field, Houston where
he flew as a crew member on the NASA zero-g research aircraft.
He was
designated a Naval Aviator in October 1989 after completing flight training in
the T-34C, T-2C, and TA-4J aircraft at NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Beeville,
Texas. Ken reported to NAS Cecil Field, Florida for F/A-18 training and
subsequent operational assignments with the Privateers of VFA-132 and the
Gunslingers of VFA-105.
He
completed two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea including combat missions over North Iraq and Bosnia. During these tours, he served as an air wing strike
leader, F/A-18 demonstration pilot, and night vision goggle instructor. Ken was
selected for the Naval Postgraduate School/Test Pilot School cooperative
program where he studied aeronautical engineering for 18 months in Monterey California followed by 12 months of test pilot training at NAS Patuxent River Maryland.
He was
selected as a team member of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Integrated Test Team as
one of five Navy pilots responsible for developing a new fleet aircraft. This
duty involved envelope expansion flight test in arrested landings, catapult
assisted takeoffs, weapon separation, propulsion stability, performance, and
general flying qualities. Ken was serving as the F/A-18E/F lead carrier
suitability test pilot when he was selected for the astronaut program.
He has
logged over 3,700 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft and has over
300 shipboard, and 300 land based arrested landings.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1998, he
reported for training in August 1998. Astronaut Candidate Training includes
orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings,
intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems,
physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training,
as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques. Initially
assigned as Ascent/Entry, Orbit, and ISS Capcom, Ken is assigned as pilot on
the crew of STS-124. The STS-124 mission to the International Space Station
will be the second of three flights that will launch components to complete the
Japanese "Kibo" laboratory. Launch is targeted for May 2008.
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