NAME: Mark L. Polansky
NASA Astronaut
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 2, 1956 in Paterson, New
Jersey. Considers Edison, New Jersey his hometown. Enjoys ice hockey, snow skiing, light aircraft flying, music and
the arts. Married to the former Lisa Ristow of San Antonio, Texas. They have one
daughter. His mother, Edith Polansky, resides in
Edison, New Jersey.
EDUCATION: Graduated from John P. Stevens High
School, Edison, New Jersey, in 1974; received a bachelor of science degree in
aeronautical and astronautical engineering, and a
master of science degree in aeronautics and astronautics, from Purdue
University, both in 1978.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of
Experimental Test Pilots, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished Graduate of the USAF
Test Pilot School (1987). Distinguished Graduate of USAF
Undergraduate Pilot Training (1980). Recipient of the
USAF Flying Training Award (1980). Awarded Air Force
Meritorious Service Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf
Clusters.
EXPERIENCE: Polansky
received an Air Force commission upon graduation from Purdue University in
1978. He earned his pilot wings in January 1980 at Vance Air Force Base (AFB),
Oklahoma.
From 1980 to 1983, he was assigned to Langley AFB,
Virginia, where he flew the F-15 aircraft. In 1983, Polansky
transitioned to the F-5E aircraft and served as an Aggressor Pilot, where he
trained tactical aircrews to defeat enemy aircraft tactics. He was assigned in
this capacity to Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, and Nellis AFB, Nevada, until he was selected to attend USAF
Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California, in 1986.
Upon graduation, he was assigned to Eglin AFB,
Florida, where he conducted weapons and systems testing in the F-15, F-15E, and
A-10 aircraft. Polansky left active duty in 1992 to
pursue a career at NASA. He has logged
over 5,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Polansky
joined NASA in August 1992, as an aerospace engineer and research pilot. He was
assigned to the Aircraft Operations Division of the Johnson Space Center. His
primary responsibilities involved teaching the astronaut pilots Space Shuttle
landing techniques in the Shuttle Trainer Aircraft and instructing astronaut
pilots and mission specialists in the T-38 aircraft. Polansky
also conducted flight testing of the NASA T-38 avionics upgrade aircraft.
Selected as an Astronaut Candidate by NASA in April
1996, Polansky began training in August 1996. Having
completed two years of training and evaluation, he was initially assigned as a
member of the Astronaut Support Personnel team at the Kennedy Space Center,
supporting space shuttle
launches and landings. He served as pilot on STS-98
(2001) and has logged over 309 hours in space.
Polansky was Chief of the CAPCOM Branch from
April 2002 to December 2002. He served as Chief Instructor Astronaut from April
2003 to January 2004. He has also served as Chief of the Return to Flight and Orbiter
Repair Branches. Polansky is assigned to command
the crew of STS-116, an assembly flight to the International Space Station.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-98 Atlantis (February 9-20, 2001). The STS-98
crew continued the task of building and enhancing the International Space
Station by delivering the U.S.
laboratory module Destiny. The shuttle spent seven days docked
to the station while Destiny
was attached and three
spacewalks were conducted to complete its assembly.
The crew also relocated
a docking port, and delivered
supplies and equipment to the resident Expedition
1 crew. Mission duration was 12 days, 21 hours, 20 minutes.
Last updated: February 2006
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