posted October 29, 2005 09:50 AM               

Fifteen-year Veteran Astronaut Announces His Departure from NASA

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Astronaut Leroy Chiao, Ph.D. is announcing his decision to leave NASA following a fifteen-year career with the agency. A veteran of four space missions, he served most recently as the Commander of Expedition-10, aboard the International Space Station. Dr. Chiao who has logged over 229 days in space - over 36 hours of which were spent in ExtraVehicluar Activity (EVA, or spacewalks) - will be working as a consultant, public speaker and leadership coach.

A native English speaker, Dr. Chiao also speaks Russian and Mandarin Chinese. He has flown space missions and worked closely with Japanese, Russian, and European astronauts and their affiliated space agencies. Dr. Chiao is uniquely qualified for specialized negotiations with the United States, European, Russian, and Chinese Space Programs. He is a specialist in all facets of US and Russian EVA hardware and operations, and is EVA-certified in US and Russian spacesuits, tools, and training programs. A fully trained Space Shuttle Mission Specialist and Space Station Commander, Dr. Chiao is also a fully-certified copilot of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. His years of intensive training and working with others in a wide range of high stress, high visibility conditions have served to advance his knowledge and skills in communication, leadership and teamwork.

As of November 1, 2005, Dr. Leroy Chiao can be contacted through Sachi Koto Communications, Inc. for speaking engagements, personal appearances and leadership coaching assignments. www.sachikoto.com

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posted December 05, 2005 10:56 AM               

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Veteran International Space Station commander, spacewalker and three-time space shuttle flier Leroy Chiao has retired from NASA.

Chiao is the first Asian-American and ethnic Chinese to fly in space and perform a spacewalk. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990 and flew his first mission in July 1994. On his second flight, STS-72 in January 1996, Chiao performed two spacewalks to demonstrate tools, hardware and techniques for space station assembly.

Chiao conducted two more spacewalks during his final shuttle mission, STS-92 in October 2000, to configure the space station's Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3.

In October 2004, Chiao visited the station again as commander of a six-month mission on the orbiting laboratory. He returned to Earth in April. Chiao also served as NASA Science Officer during that mission, helping to lead 20 scientific experiments. He performed two station-based repair and installation spacewalks. Chiao holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

"As a veteran of four missions and six spacewalks, Leroy's been a valued team member and has provided extensive expertise to the nation's space flight program," said Ken Bowersox, Flight Crew Operations Director. "We wish him continued success in his future."

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