Steven Swanson

Steven Ray Swanson (born December 3, 1960 in Syracuse, New York) is an American engineer and a retired NASA astronaut. He is married and has three children. Steven has received numerous awards and honors. These include the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the JSC Certificate of Accommodation and many others. Prior to becoming a NASA astronaut, Swanson worked for GTE in Phoenix, Arizona, as a software engineer. Steve has flown 2 shuttle flights, STS-117 and STS-119. He has logged over 643 hours in space and completed 4 spacewalks totaling 26 hours and 14 minutes. Steve has also served in other roles at NASA, such as a CAPCOM for both International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions.

Early years
Although born in Syracuse, New York, Swanson considers Steamboat Springs, Colorado to be his home. He graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in 1979, and went on to the University of Colorado to receive a bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1983. In 1986, he received a master of applied science in computer systems from Florida Atlantic University. He later received a doctorate in computer science from Texas A&M University in 1998.

NASA career
Swanson joined NASA in 1987 as a systems engineer and a flight engineer working on the Shuttle Training Aircraft. He was selected as an astronaut in May 1998. His first mission was STS-117, which launched June 2007. He was a mission specialist on this flight, also serving as flight engineer. He also served as a mission specialist and lead spacewalker on STS-119. STS-119 launched March 15, 2009 and landed on March 28, 2009. He launched to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 39/40 on March 25, 2014 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and returned to Earth on September 11, 2014. NASA announced Swanson's retirement in August 2015, he will join Boise State University as a distinguished educator in residence.

Firefly and Serenity
Steven Swanson is a Browncoat, or fan of Joss Whedon's Serenity and Firefly. He added copies of the movie and box set of the TV series to the ISS Movie Library on STS-117 in June 2007.