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Steven Alan Hawley (born December 12, 1951) is a retired astronomer and NASA astronaut who flew on five U.S. Space Shuttle flights. Hawley is a professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas.[1]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Hawley was born December 12, 1951, in Ottawa, Kansas, to Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Hawley. One of Hawley's brothers, John F. Hawley, was a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Virginia[2] and shared the Shaw Prize in Astronomy in 2013.[3]

Hawley graduated from Salina High School Central, Salina, Kansas, in 1969; he regards Salina as his home town. Hawley attended the University of Kansas, graduating with highest distinction in 1973 with Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and in Astronomy. He spent three summers employed as a research assistant: 1972 at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., and 1973 and 1974 at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. He attended graduate school at Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, principal advisor was William L. Burke graduating in 1977 with a Doctorate in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Career

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Prior to his selection by NASA in 1978, Hawley was a post-doctoral research associate at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in La Serena, Chile. His research involved spectrophotometry of gaseous nebulae and emission-line galaxies, with particular emphasis on chemical abundance determinations for these objects. The results of his research have been published in major astronomical journals.

Hawley is Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas.[1] He also served as director of engineering physics.[4]

Space-flight experience

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Hawley logged a total of 32 days, 2 hours, 41 minutes in five space flights.[5] He served as a mission specialist on STS-41D in 1984, STS-61C in 1986, STS-31 in 1990, STS-82 in 1997 and STS-93 in 1999. Hawley was the last member of NASA Astronaut Group 8 to make a space flight.[6] He is also the only astronaut to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and later fly on one of its servicing missions (STS-31 and STS-82, respectively).[7]

STS-41-D Discovery

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STS-41-D Discovery (August 30 to September 5, 1984) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on its maiden flight and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the seven-day mission, the crew successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed the SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C satellites, operated the CFES-III experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, as well as photography experiments using the IMAX motion picture camera. The mission was completed in 96 orbits of the Earth in 144 hours and 57 minutes.

Following an aborted attempt to launch STS-41-D where two main engines were stopped shortly after they started because the third failed to start, Hawley is reported to have broken the tense atmosphere in the shuttle cabin, saying, "Gee, I thought we'd be a lot higher at MECO!"[7]

STS-61-C Columbia

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STS-61-C Columbia (January 12–18, 1986) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to a night landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the six-day flight, the crew deployed the SATCOM K1 satellite and conducted experiments in astrophysics and materials processing. Mission duration was 146 hours and 03 minutes.

STS-31 Discovery

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STS-31 Discovery (April 24–29, 1990) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and also returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the five-day mission, the crew deployed the Hubble Space Telescope, and conducted a variety of middeck experiments involving the study of protein crystal growth, polymer membrane processing, and the effects of weightlessness and magnetic fields on an ion arc. They also operated a variety of cameras, including both the IMAX in-cabin and cargo bay cameras, for Earth observations from their record-setting altitude of 380 miles. The mission was completed in 76 orbits of the earth in 121 hours.

STS-82 Discovery

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STS-82 Discovery (February 11–21, 1997), the second Hubble Space Telescope (HST) maintenance mission, was launched at night and returned to a night landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. During the flight, Hawley's primary role was to operate the Shuttle's 50-foot robot arm to retrieve and redeploy the HST following completion of upgrades and repairs. Hawley also operated the robot arm during five spacewalks in which two teams installed two new spectrometers and eight replacement instruments. They also replaced insulation patches over three compartments containing key data-processing, electronics and scientific-instrument telemetry packages. HST was then redeployed and boosted to a higher orbit. The flight was completed in 149 orbits covering 3.8 million miles in 9 days, 23 hours, 37 minutes.

STS-93 Columbia

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STS-93 Columbia (July 22–27, 1999) was launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center on a five-day mission returning to KSC for the 12th night landing in the Shuttle Program's history. Hawley served as Columbia's flight engineer. The primary mission objective was the successful deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the third of NASA's Great Observatories after Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Hawley also served as the primary operator of a second telescope carried in the crew module and used for several days to make broadband ultraviolet observations of a variety of Solar System objects. The mission completed 79 orbits in 4 days, 22 hours, and 50 minutes.

Organizations

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Hawley is a member of the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sigma Pi Sigma, and Phi Beta Kappa. Now retired, he resides in Lawrence, Kansas, where his parents also live.

Personal life

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Hawley married fellow astronaut Sally Ride in 1982. The couple divorced in 1987.

Subsequently, he married Eileen M. Keegan of Redondo Beach, California, a former public-affairs officer at NASA. She was appointed as spokeswoman for then-Kansas Governor Sam Brownback in 2013.[5]

He enjoys basketball, softball, golf, running, playing bridge, and umpiring. Hawley appeared on an episode of Home Improvement, alongside Space Shuttle Commander, Kenneth Bowersox.[8]

Honors

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Steven Hawley, shown holding the Toastmasters District 22 Communication and Leadership award, Topeka, Kansas, October 24, 2015

Following is a list of scholarships, honors, and awards conferred on Hawley:

  • Evans Foundation Scholarship, 1970
  • University of Kansas Honor Scholarship, 1970
  • Summerfield Scholarship, 1970–1973
  • Veta B. Lear Award, 1970
  • Stranathan Award, 1972
  • Outstanding Physics Major Award, 1973
  • University of California Regents Fellowship, 1974
  • Group Achievement Award for software testing at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, 1981
  • NASA Outstanding Performance Award, 1981
  • NASA Superior Performance Award, 1981
  • Group Achievement Award for Second Orbiter Test and Checkout at Kennedy Space Center, 1982
  • Quality Increase, 1982
  • NASA Space Flight Medal (1984, 1986, 1990, 1997, 1999)
  • Group Achievement Award for JSC Strategic Planning, 1987
  • NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988, 1991)
  • Special Achievement Award, 1988
  • Exceptional Service Medal for Return to Flight, 1988
  • Outstanding Leadership Medal, 1990
  • Special Achievement Award, 1990
  • Haley Flight Achievement Award, 1991
  • Kansan of the Year Award, 1992
  • Group Achievement Award for ESIG 3000 Integration Project, 1994
  • Presidential Rank Award (1994, 1999)
  • Group Achievement Award for Space Shuttle Program Functional Workforce Review, 1995
  • Group Achievement Award for SFOC Contract Acquisition, 1997
  • Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame, 1997
  • University of Kansas Distinguished Service Citation, 1998
  • NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1998, 2000)
  • Aviation Week & Space Technology Laurel Citation for Space, 1998
  • V.M. Komarov Diploma from the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) (1998, 2000)
  • Inductee, Astronaut Hall of Fame (2007)
  • Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Kansas, (2007)
  • Distinguished Alumni Award, UC Santa Cruz, 1991
  • Communication and Leadership Award (2015), Toastmasters District 22

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Steven Hawley

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Steven Alan Hawley (born December 12, 1951) is an American , retired , and university professor who flew on five missions, accumulating 770 hours and 27 minutes in space. Selected as part of NASA's eighth astronaut group in , Hawley contributed to key missions including the deployment of the and the , while also holding senior leadership positions within the agency until his retirement in 2008. He is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the , where his research interests include nebular , active galaxies, and spaceflight operations. Hawley was born in Ottawa, Kansas, and raised in Salina, where he graduated from Salina Central High School in 1969. He earned a B.A. in physics and astronomy from the in 1973, followed by a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from the , in 1977. Prior to his astronaut selection, Hawley worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the in . During his NASA career, Hawley served in various roles, including as a simulator pilot, software verification engineer, and Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office for Flight Operations and Flight Support. From October 2001 to November 2002, he served as director of flight crew operations. From 2003 to 2004, he served as the first chief astronaut for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center. His spaceflight experience began with STS-41D on Discovery in August 1984, a seven-day mission that deployed three communications satellites. He next flew on STS-61C aboard Columbia in January 1986, deploying the RCA Satcom Ku-band over six days. Hawley's third mission, STS-31 on Discovery in April 1990, lasted five days and successfully deployed the into orbit, a landmark achievement in astronomy. In 1997, he served as flight engineer on aboard Discovery, a ten-day mission that performed the second servicing of the , involving five spacewalks to upgrade and repair the observatory. His final flight was on Columbia in July 1999, deploying the and marking the first space shuttle command by a woman, . Post-retirement from in May 2008, Hawley joined the faculty, initially as a full in physics and astronomy, later serving as Director of from 2010 to 2012 and as an in . He has received numerous honors, including NASA's Space Flight Medal (five awards), Distinguished Service Medal, and Exceptional Service Medal, as well as induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1997. Hawley is a member of professional organizations such as the and the Association of Space Explorers.

Early life and education

Early life

Steven Alan Hawley was born on December 12, 1951, in , to Bernard Russell Hawley and his wife Jeanne. He considers , his hometown, where the family settled after his birth, providing a rural Midwestern upbringing that included time spent outdoors and exposure to the . From around 1958 to 1965, the family lived in Severna Park, near , due to his father's work as an electrical engineer. As the eldest of four children, Hawley grew up alongside his siblings, including younger brother John F. Hawley (1958–2021), who became a noted theoretical astrophysicist. Hawley's father initially worked as an electrical engineer before transitioning to a career as a Presbyterian minister, a change that influenced the family's values and mobility during his formative years. This background fostered a household environment that valued intellectual curiosity and service. Growing up in Salina, Hawley's interest in science sparked early through exploring his grandfather's physics books, igniting a lifelong passion for understanding the natural world. A self-described "space nerd," Hawley followed the U.S. space program avidly as a child and teenager, particularly captivated by the Apollo missions and the 1969 , which he watched unfold on television from his family's home in Salina at age 17. These events, combined with the clear skies that encouraged stargazing, deepened his fascination with astronomy and from a young age. His early experiences in this rural setting laid the groundwork for pursuing formal studies in physics and astronomy.

Education

Hawley earned degrees in physics and astronomy from the in 1973, graduating with highest distinction. During his undergraduate years, he received scholarships such as the Evans Foundation Scholarship in 1970 and the Summerfield Scholarship from 1970 to 1973, along with the Veta B. Lear Award in 1970. He also earned the Stranathan Award in 1972 and the Outstanding Physics Major Award in 1973 for his academic excellence. Hawley then pursued graduate studies at the Lick Observatory, , where he obtained a in astronomy and in 1977. His dissertation research centered on the of gaseous nebulae and emission-line galaxies, focusing on techniques for determining chemical abundances. This work involved advanced observational methods in , building his foundational expertise in astrophysical analysis.

Pre-NASA career

Research and postdoctoral work

Following his Ph.D. in 1977, Steven Hawley served as a at the (CTIO) in , from late 1977 until his selection as a NASA astronaut in 1978. At CTIO, he continued his astrophysical on of gaseous nebulae, with a particular emphasis on determining chemical abundances in planetary nebulae and emission-line galaxies. This work built directly on his doctoral , which focused on of gaseous nebulae and emission-line galaxies. Hawley's postdoctoral investigations involved detailed spectroscopic analysis of emission lines to probe the physical conditions and composition of planetary nebulae. Collaborating with researchers such as Joseph S. Miller, he conducted observations that mapped structures and derived ionic abundances across multiple regions of these objects. For instance, in a study of the (M27), Hawley measured line intensities at six positions with varying levels, enabling calculations of electron densities, ion temperatures, and total elemental abundances for species like oxygen, , and . These findings highlighted spatial variations in nebular properties and provided comparisons to abundances in other planetary nebulae and H II regions, contributing to broader understanding of in late stages. During this period, Hawley also addressed abundance anomalies in well-known nebulae, such as the (NGC 7293), using CTIO spectroscopic data to refine excitation mechanisms and correct for ionization effects. His analysis revealed discrepancies in derived abundances for key elements, attributing them to incomplete ionization corrections, and proposed methodological improvements for future observations. A key aspect of Hawley's postdoctoral efforts was the development and application of for measuring electron densities in nebulae, including advanced data reduction methods to handle spectroscopic intensities from ground-based telescopes. These techniques, which accounted for local assumptions and line ratio diagnostics (e.g., using [S II] and [O II] forbidden lines), were essential for accurate density estimates ranging from 10³ to 10⁵ cm⁻³ in ionized zones. Such methods enhanced the reliability of abundance determinations and were documented in his early publications in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

Early academic positions

Prior to his graduate studies, Hawley held initial research positions during his undergraduate years at the University of Kansas, serving as a research assistant at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., in 1972, and at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia (1973), and Charlottesville, Virginia (1974). These summer appointments provided foundational experience in astronomical instrumentation and data analysis, bridging his student work with later professional roles.

NASA career

Astronaut selection and training

Hawley was selected as a astronaut in January 1978 as part of Astronaut Group 8, a class of 35 candidates chosen from more than 8,000 applicants. This selection marked NASA's first new astronaut group since 1969 and emphasized diverse expertise, including Hawley's background in from his PhD in astronomy and at the . From 1978 to 1980, Hawley completed basic at NASA's in , , which prepared candidates for shuttle operations through a rigorous . This included proficiency in T-38 jet aircraft piloting to develop high-performance flight skills, survival training for potential landing scenarios in various environments, and simulations to acclimate to the g-forces experienced during launch and reentry. Upon qualifying as a mission specialist in 1980, Hawley transitioned to operational support roles, serving as a simulator pilot for Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory software checkouts. He also contributed to the development of payload bay reconfiguration procedures, crew protocols for scientific equipment, and Remote Manipulator System operations. Building on his scientific foundation, Hawley underwent specialized training in extravehicular activity (EVA) techniques and payload operations, focusing on the deployment and maintenance of astronomical instruments for observatory-class missions. This preparation aligned with NASA's emphasis on mission specialists with technical expertise to support complex science payloads in orbit.

Overview of mission roles

Steven Hawley joined as an in January 1978 and spent the initial years of his career in support and backup roles for the early missions, including as a support crew member for through and prime close-out crewman for and . His first flight assignment came in as a on aboard Discovery, representing his debut after six years of preparatory duties within the astronaut office. Hawley's subsequent assignments built on this foundation, with him serving as a mission specialist on in 1986, in 1990, and in 1997, before advancing to on in 1999. His responsibilities progressed from deployments and science operations—such as releases and experiments—to more specialized tasks, including leading the operation of the orbiter's remote manipulator system for observatory missions by the 1990s, with a particular emphasis on payloads like the and . Across these five missions, Hawley logged a total of 770 hours and 27 minutes . Beyond flight roles, he contributed to non-flight assignments in the and , notably as a simulator pilot for software checkouts in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, where he helped configure systems for scientific instruments and received a Group Achievement Award in for efforts. He also served as Technical Assistant to the Director of Flight Crew Operations from to 1985, Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1987 to 1990, Associate Director of the Ames Research Center from 1990 to 1992, Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations in 1992, Director of Flight Crew Operations from 2001 to 2002, and the first Chief Astronaut for the Engineering and Safety Center from 2003 to 2004.

Space shuttle missions

STS-41-D (Discovery)

STS-41-D was the first operational flight of the , launching on August 30, 1984, at 8:41 a.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A in . The mission faced significant delays prior to launch, including a scrub on due to a backup general purpose computer failure and a dramatic pad abort on June 26 just four seconds before liftoff, triggered by a faulty temperature sensor on one of the main engines. This led to a rollback to the on July 14 for repairs to the engines' thermal protection systems and software updates, pushing the launch back nearly two months. As a on his debut , Steven Hawley played a key role in the primary objective of deploying three commercial communications satellites from Discovery's payload bay. These included SBS-4 for Satellite Business Systems, IV-2 (also known as Leasat-2) for the U.S. Navy, and Telstar 3C for Telesat Canada, each boosted to using the Payload Assist Module-D (PAM-D) solid rocket motor. On flight day 1, Hawley and fellow Richard M. Mullane conducted the deployment of SBS-4, maneuvering it out of the payload bay and monitoring its separation and PAM-D ignition. The remaining satellites were deployed on days 2 and 3 by Mullane and Judith A. Resnik, with all three achieving successful insertions without major in-orbit anomalies requiring shuttle intervention. Hawley's duties also encompassed supporting secondary experiments, such as the Office of Applications and Technology's (OAST-1) large solar array deployment test using the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System (robotic arm). Although ground controllers handled routine post-deployment activations for the satellites, including spin-up sequences for stabilization, no critical failures necessitated manual attempts via the during this mission. The crew focused on additional tasks like the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) for materials processing and solar array dynamics testing, advancing shuttle payload capabilities. The mission concluded after 6 days, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds in space, encompassing 97 orbits and covering about 2.5 million miles. Discovery touched down at Edwards Air Force Base in California on September 5, 1984, at 6:37 a.m. PDT on Runway 17, marking a successful maiden voyage despite the pre-launch challenges. In later reflections, Hawley described adapting to zero gravity as a profound adjustment, recalling the initial nausea and spatial disorientation that gave way to a sense of freedom, allowing him to float effortlessly while performing tasks but requiring conscious effort to avoid collisions in the confined cabin.

STS-61-C (Columbia)

STS-61-C, the 24th Space Shuttle mission, launched aboard Columbia from Kennedy Space Center on January 12, 1986, at 6:55 a.m. EST, following a record seven launch delays from December 1985 due to technical issues and weather, which heightened crew anticipation and cohesion in the program's recovery phase after prior mission setbacks. As a , Steven Hawley played a key role in deploying the RCA Satcom KU-1 , monitoring its release via the Payload Assist Module-D2 on January 12, ensuring successful placement into for enhanced global broadcasting capabilities. Hawley also managed middeck operations for the Materials Science Laboratory-2 payload, conducting experiments on protein crystal growth using the Hand-Held Protein Crystal Growth apparatus to study microgravity effects on biomolecular structures, and fluid physics investigations via the Three-Axis Acoustic Levitator to observe levitated droplet behavior and in alloys. Drawing on his astrophysics expertise in infrared observations of nebulae, Hawley contributed to in-flight astronomy efforts, including the Infrared Imaging Experiment, which captured Earth limb and shuttle glow emissions through the orbiter's windows, though the planned Comet Halley Active Monitoring Program was curtailed by equipment failure. The mission concluded after 6 days, 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 51 seconds in orbit, with Columbia landing at , , on January 18, 1986, at 5:58:51 a.m. PST, after weather delays aborted approaches to , underscoring the era's operational challenges.

STS-31 (Discovery)

The STS-31 mission launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking a five-day flight dedicated primarily to the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) from the orbiter's payload bay. The crew, consisting of Commander Loren J. Shriver, Pilot Charles F. Bolden Jr., and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley, Bruce McCandless II, and Kathryn D. Sullivan, reached an orbital altitude of approximately 380 statute miles, setting a record for the highest shuttle flight at the time. This mission represented a pivotal moment in astronomy, placing the 2.4-meter aperture telescope into low Earth orbit to enable unprecedented ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared observations free from atmospheric interference. Steven Hawley served as a mission specialist on STS-31, taking on key responsibilities as the flight engineer and primary operator of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), the shuttle's robotic arm. His duties included grappling the HST from its berth in Discovery's payload bay on the mission's second day, maneuvering the 43.5-foot-long observatory into position, and overseeing its release after the successful extension of its solar arrays and high-gain antennas. Hawley monitored the deployment sequence closely from the flight deck, ensuring the telescope's orientation and stability during the separation, which occurred at 380 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. This operation demanded precise coordination, as any misalignment could compromise the HST's pointing accuracy or power systems. Prior to launch, extensive integration efforts ensured compatibility between the HST and Discovery's systems, including electrical, data, and mechanical interfaces tested in the Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility. Crew members, including Hawley, participated in simulations and alignment checks for the HST's solar arrays—two 41-foot wings provided by the containing 48,000 solar cells—to verify proper stowage and deployment readiness within the payload bay constraints. These preparations were critical, as the arrays needed to unfurl flawlessly post-release to generate the telescope's primary power source. Following deployment on , the conducted post-release verifications, monitoring the HST's initial through ground communications and onboard observations to confirm the extension of its apertures and the startup of core systems. Hawley and the team documented the process using cameras, capturing the telescope's separation and early orbital maneuvers for scientific and engineering analysis. The mission concluded with Discovery's on , 1990, at 6:49 a.m. PDT on 22 at in , after completing 80 orbits and traveling over 2.1 million miles.

STS-82 (Discovery)

STS-82 was the second dedicated servicing mission to the (HST), launched aboard on February 11, 1997, at 3:55 a.m. EST from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. The 10-day mission focused on capturing the HST, performing extensive upgrades and repairs, and redeploying it into a higher orbit, significantly enhancing its scientific capabilities for and optical observations. As a , Steven Hawley played a pivotal role by operating the orbiter's Remote Manipulator System (RMS), or robotic arm, to grapple and berth the HST into Discovery's payload bay on February 13, marking a successful rendezvous after the telescope had been in orbit for nearly seven years since its initial deployment. Hawley supported the mission's five extravehicular activities (EVAs), totaling 33 hours and 11 minutes, by precisely maneuvering EVA crew members to their worksites using the RMS, which was essential for the delicate tasks given the telescope's complex structure and tight tolerances. His contributions were particularly critical during EVAs involving instrument exchanges, such as the installation of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), a powerful and visible-light instrument that replaced the aging High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS). In EVA-1, conducted by and Steven L. Smith, the crew removed the GHRS and installed STIS with Hawley's arm assistance, enabling HST to capture unprecedented spectra of distant galaxies and quasars. Hawley also aided in EVAs including the replacement of a Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) to improve pointing accuracy and the installation of new thermal blankets to protect against degradation from solar exposure. Additional in-orbit repairs addressed HST's operational needs, including the replacement of one of the Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) to improve pointing accuracy and the installation of new thermal blankets to protect against degradation from solar exposure. During EVA-2, Gregory J. Harbaugh and Joseph P. Tanner, supported by Hawley's maneuvering, swapped out the FGS-1 unit, while later EVAs repaired insulation on the telescope's magnetometer housing and other bays. These upgrades, part of a comprehensive overhaul by the seven-member crew, extended HST's lifespan and scientific productivity. On February 20, Hawley used the RMS to release the refurbished HST back into orbit, boosting it approximately 10 miles higher for continued observations. The mission concluded with a smooth landing at on February 21, 1997, at 3:32 a.m. EST on runway 15, after 9 days, 23 hours, 37 minutes, and 9 seconds in space. The seven crew members—Commander Kenneth D. Bowersox, Pilot Scott J. Horowitz, and mission specialists Lee, Hawley, Harbaugh, Smith, and Tanner—achieved all primary objectives without incident, demonstrating the shuttle program's expertise in on-orbit maintenance.

STS-93 (Columbia)

STS-93 launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, at 12:31 a.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39B, marking the first Space Shuttle mission commanded by a woman, Eileen M. Collins. The crew consisted of Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman, Steven A. Hawley, and Michel Tognini of the European Space Agency. Approximately seven hours after liftoff, the crew successfully deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory, NASA's third Great Observatory, from Columbia's payload bay using the Remote Manipulator System. Chandra, with a mass of 4,800 kilograms, was propelled to its operational orbit by a two-stage Inertial Upper Stage rocket that separated shortly after release. As Payload Commander and 2, Hawley served as , monitoring shuttle systems during ascent and entry while overseeing the primary payload operations. His duties included coordinating the deployment sequence with the crew and ground control, as well as monitoring the observatory's initial activation phases post-separation, such as power-up and systems checkout. Hawley also tracked subsequent milestones, including the opening of 's aperture door on July 28—five days after deployment—to enable its first observations of cosmic sources. In addition to the primary objective, the mission conducted secondary experiments focused on and space observations, such as the Southwest Imaging System (SWUIS), operated by Hawley to capture ultraviolet images of solar system objects like the and . Technology demonstrations included the Shuttle Amateur Experiment-II (SAREX-II) for educational communications and the Lightweight Flexible Solar Array Hinge to test deployable structures. The mission concluded with a landing at Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33 on July 27, 1999, after a duration of 4 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes, and 37 seconds. STS-93 represented Hawley's fifth and final Space Shuttle flight, bringing his cumulative time in space to over 770 hours across all missions.

Post-NASA career

Return to the University of Kansas

After retiring from NASA in May 2008 following a 30-year career that included five Space Shuttle missions, Steven Hawley returned to his alma mater, the , where he had earned his bachelor's degrees in physics and astronomy in 1973. He joined the faculty as a full of physics and astronomy in 2008 and is now Professor Emeritus, marking a seamless transition back to academia and allowing him to contribute his extensive expertise in and space operations to higher education. In this role, Hawley took on significant administrative responsibilities, including serving as director of the program from 2010 to 2012. This leadership position involved overseeing program operations, which encompassed interdisciplinary aspects of physics, astronomy, and engineering, thereby supporting the development of curricula that integrated and space-related topics to prepare students for advanced research and technical careers. Additionally, in 2012, he was appointed as an in the Department of and is now Emeritus, further bridging his experience with KU's engineering initiatives. Hawley has also been actively involved in mentoring graduate students in observational astronomy since his return to KU, guiding their work on topics such as nebular astrophysics, active galaxies, and chemical abundances through hands-on research projects aligned with his expertise in space-based telescopes and instrumentation. His mentorship emphasizes practical applications of astronomical observations, drawing from his background in deploying major observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory during his NASA tenure.

Scientific research and publications

Following his return to academia, Steven Hawley focused his research on spectrophotometry of gaseous nebulae and active galactic nuclei, emphasizing chemical abundance determinations through emission line analysis. This work, conducted primarily at the University of Kansas, builds on multi-wavelength observations to study enrichment processes in these astrophysical environments. Hawley has co-authored several papers on X-ray emissions from planetary nebulae, including a 2016 study in The Astrophysical Journal examining the nucleus of the planetary nebula EGB 6 as a post-common envelope binary system, utilizing Hubble Space Telescope imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy to analyze its variable fluxes and proper motion. His contributions extend to broader nebular studies, such as a 2012 Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific paper on abundances in compact "Green Pea" star-forming galaxies, derived from He II emission lines. Hawley is scheduled to publish the memoir Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation in 2026, which interweaves his shuttle mission experiences with reflections on astronomical observations, including intersections with space-based telescopes like . Having deployed the during , Hawley's post-NASA research aligns with its data applications in nebular studies, though his primary emphasis remains on optical emission lines for density and abundance measurements.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Steven Hawley married fellow astronaut on July 24, 1982, in a private ceremony in . The couple resided in Houston, Texas, where they navigated the demands of their careers together. Hawley and Ride divorced in 1987, with friends attributing the split to the immense pressures of their high-profile roles as astronauts. The pair had no children. Hawley later reflected on the marriage as having been entered into in , indicating a respectful post-divorce dynamic that persisted until Ride's in 2012. Following his divorce from Ride, Hawley married Eileen M. Keegan, a former employee and spokeswoman for the Kansas governor, though details of their partnership remain relatively private. Hawley maintains close connections to his siblings—Diane, John, and James—and extended family rooted in , where he grew up and later returned professionally.

Interests and later activities

Hawley has nurtured a lifelong passion for astronomy, which originated in his childhood and influenced his academic and professional path. He has described wanting to become an from a very young age, inspired by his grandfather's physics . This interest extended beyond his career into personal pursuits, including observations of celestial phenomena that align with his expertise in . In retirement, Hawley has actively contributed to public outreach on , delivering lectures at educational institutions and museums. For instance, he presented at the and Space Center's monthly continuing education series, sharing insights from his shuttle missions. He also featured in the Space Foundation's 2021 Space4U , where he discussed the deployment of the and the , highlighting their scientific legacies. Hawley has supported STEM education initiatives through volunteering in outreach programs at the since returning to the institution around , aiming to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers with his firsthand experiences in . As professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the since 2017, Hawley has embraced retirement by engaging in travel and writing projects that reflect on his career. Notably, he authored the Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation, scheduled for publication in 2026, which recounts his journey from a young astronomy enthusiast to a .

Awards and honors

NASA and spaceflight awards

Hawley was awarded the five times, once for each of his missions: in 1984, in 1986, in 1990, in 1997, and in 1999. These medals recognized his successful performance as a , including satellite deployments and observatory operations during flight. Hawley received the in 1998 and 2000 for his key contributions to the servicing mission (), preparations for and deployment of the (), advancing 's astronomical observation capabilities. Hawley earned the in 1988 and 1991, including for innovative techniques in satellite deployment demonstrated during his first mission, STS-41-D, which involved the successful release of three commercial communications satellites and set precedents for future orbital operations. He also received the in 1994 and 1999 in recognition of his sustained superior performance and leadership in roles. In 1997, Hawley was inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame for his contributions to aviation and .

Academic and professional recognitions

Hawley has been a member of the since the early stages of his career, reflecting his longstanding contributions to astronomical research and education, with his affiliation continuing after his tenure. He is also affiliated with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and honor societies including Sigma Pi Sigma and , underscoring his professional standing in and fields. In recognition of his academic achievements and service to his alma mater, Hawley received the University of Kansas Distinguished Service Citation in 1998. He was later awarded the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award from the in 2007, honoring his integration of experience with scholarly pursuits upon returning to academia. Additionally, in 2015, Wheaton College conferred upon him an honorary degree for his inspirational impact on students through his dual career in science and . Hawley's broader contributions to space science were acknowledged by his induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2007, where he joined fellow inductees and Jeffrey Hoffman as one of the year's honorees selected for exemplary service and innovation in .

References

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