posted 03-12-2013 06:48 PM               

NASA astronaut Lee Archambault leaving agency

NASA astronaut Lee Archambault is leaving the agency, ending a 15-year career that included more than 27 days in space, including a flight as commander of space shuttle Discovery.

Archambault will join Sierra Nevada Corp. as a test pilot and systems engineer. He will work on the Dream Chaser Space System, being developed in conjunction with NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Above: Astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, occupies the commander's station on the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery.

Archambault was the pilot of space shuttle Atlantis on STS-117 in 2007, a mission vital to the construction of the International Space Station. Two years later he commanded the space shuttle Discovery on STS-119.

"Lee's leadership and experience have been assets to our office," said Bob Behnken, chief of the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston. "In his role as chief of our Exploration Branch, he's pushed for excellence in the design of our next crew vehicles as we progress during this critical development phase. His combination of technical knowledge, operational experience and critical thinking will be very hard to replace."

Archambault earned bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois-Urbana. He then served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot. He flew combat missions in the Middle East during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Archambault joined NASA as an Air Force astronaut in 1998. He filled many technical roles during his NASA career including working as a support astronaut at Kennedy Space Center, a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for STS-121 and finally serving within the Astronaut Office as the chief of the Exploration Branch.

Archambault retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel in 2012 after more than 27 years of service. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 30 types of aircraft.

posted 04-09-2013 09:52 AM               

Former NASA Astronaut Lee Archambault Joins Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser Team

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announces that former NASA astronaut Lee Archambault has joined the Dream Chaser team as a chief systems engineer and test pilot. In his new position, Archambault will oversee planning and execution of Dream Chaser's flight test programs and the design of the crew interfaces in the Dream Chaser cockpit.

"As a crew member on two Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station (ISS), I was honored to be part of a great NASA team," said Archambault. "Now, I am fortunate to contribute to the design, development, and test of the next U.S. built and launched crewed spacecraft, providing transportation to the ISS for our astronauts."

Archambault served as a fighter pilot, test pilot, and instructor pilot during a decorated 28-year career with the U.S. Air Force and NASA. NASA selected Archambault as an astronaut in 1998. He is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, including STS-117 and STS-119. He has logged 27 days in space and over 5,000 hours in more than 30 different aircraft, including 22 combat missions in the F-117A Stealth Fighter during Operation DESERT STORM.

"We are extraordinarily fortunate to have Lee join our expanding SNC team," said Mark Sirangelo, head of SNC's Space Systems. "Lee's long history at NASA, in spaceflight and his expansive flight experience will add significantly to the Dream Chaser program."