John Herrington

John Herrington is an American astronaut and a member of the Chickasaw Nation, making him the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.

Early Life and Education

John Herrington was born on September 14, 1958, in Wetumka, Oklahoma. He is a registered member of the Chickasaw Nation, one of the Five Civilized Tribes of the Southeastern United States. Herrington attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics in 1983. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995.

Career

Herrington began his career in the United States Navy, where he served as a Naval Aviator and test pilot. He logged over 3,300 flight hours in more than 30 different types of aircraft. In 1996, Herrington was selected by NASA to become an astronaut. He completed two years of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist.

Herrington's first and only space flight was the STS-113 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in November 2002. During this mission, Herrington performed three spacewalks, totaling nearly 20 hours. He was the first Native American to walk in space.

After retiring from NASA in 2005, Herrington embarked on a 4,200-mile cross-country bike ride to raise awareness for the importance of science education for Native American communities.

Legacy

Herrington's achievements have been recognized by the Chickasaw Nation and the wider Native American community. He has been inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame and the National Native American Hall of Fame.

See Also

• List of Native American astronauts
• List of spacewalks and moonwalks
• STS-113

References

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  John Herrington

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  STS-113 Mission Patch

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  John Herrington EVA during STS-113