Editing Stephen Robinson

{{Short description|American astronaut (born 1955)}}
{{About|the NASA astronaut|other people named Steve, Stephen or Steven Robinson|Steve Robinson (disambiguation){{!}}Steve Robinson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name          = Steve Robinson
|image         = Stephen Robinson NASA STS114.jpg
|birth_name    = Stephen Kern Robinson
|birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1955|10|26}}
|birth_place   = [[Sacramento, California]], U.S.
|death_date    = 
|death_place   = 
|education     = [[University of California, Davis]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Stanford University]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
|type          = [[NASA astronaut]]
|time          = 48d 9h 52m
|selection     = [[NASA Astronaut Group 15|NASA Group 15 (1994)]]
|eva1          = 3
|eva2          = 20h 5m
|missions      = [[STS-85]]<br>[[STS-95]]<br>[[STS-114]]<br>[[STS-130]]
|insignia      = [[File:Sts-85-patch.png|40px]] [[File:STS-95 Patch.svg|40px]] [[File:STS-114 patch.svg|48px]] [[File:STS-130 patch.png|40px]]
|retirement    = June 30, 2012
|module = {{Infobox scientist
|embed = yes
|field = Mechanical engineering
|thesis_title = The Kinematics of Turbulent Boundary Layer Structure
|thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/637679067
|thesis_year = 1991}}
}}
'''Stephen Kern "Steve" Robinson''' (born October 26, 1955) is an American former [[NASA]] [[astronaut]].

== Education ==
He was active in the [[Boy Scouts of America]], where he achieved its second-highest rank, [[Life Scout]].  Robinson graduated from [[Campolindo High School]], [[Moraga, California]], in 1973, and obtained a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[Mechanical engineering|mechanical]] and [[aeronautical engineering]] from the [[University of California, Davis]], in 1978, a [[Master of Science]] degree in Mechanical Engineering from [[Stanford University]] in 1985; and a [[doctorate]] in mechanical engineering, with a minor in [[aeronautics]] and [[astronautics]] from Stanford University in 1990.

== Organizations ==
Robinson is a member of the [[American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics]], the Aerospace Medical Association, and the [[Experimental Aircraft Association]].

== Awards and honors ==
He was awarded the NASA [[NASA Ames Research Center|Ames]] Honor Award for Scientists in 1989, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Outstanding [[Technical writing|Technical paper]] Award for Applied [[Aerodynamics]] in  1992, and the NASA/Space Club [[George Low|G. M. Low]] Memorial [[Engineering]] Fellowship in 1993.

== Career ==
[[File:STS-114 Steve Robinson turns the camera on himself during his repair job.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Robinson turns the camera on himself during his historic repair job "underneath" ''[[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]'' on August 3, 2005. The Shuttle's heat shield, where Robinson removed a pair of protruding gap fillers, is reflected in his visor]]

Robinson started work for NASA in 1975 as a student intern at NASA's [[Ames Research Center]] in [[Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California|Mountain View, California]]. After graduation from the University of California at Davis, he joined NASA Ames in 1979 as a research scientist in the fields of [[fluid dynamics]], [[aerodynamics]], experimental instrumentation, and computational scientific visualization. While at Ames, Robinson earned masters and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering at Stanford University, with research emphasis in [[turbulence]] physics, and additional research in [[human eye]] dynamics. In 1990, Robinson was selected as Chief of the Experimental Flow Physics Branch at NASA's [[Langley Research Center]] in [[Hampton, Virginia]], where he led a group of 35 engineers and scientists engaged in aerodynamics and fluid physics research.

In 1993, Robinson was awarded the NASA/Space Club Low Memorial Engineering Fellowship, and was assigned for 15 months to the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) as Visiting Engineer in the Man Vehicle Laboratory (MVL). As an MVL team-member, he conducted neurovestibular research on astronauts on the Spacelab Life Sciences 2 Shuttle mission ([[STS-58]]). Other MIT research included EVA dynamics for satellite capture and space construction. While in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], Robinson was also a visiting scientist at the [[U.S. Department of Transportation]]'s [[Volpe National Transportation Systems Center]], doing research on environmental modeling for [[flight simulation]], cockpit human factors for [[GPS]]-guided instrument approach procedures, and moving-map displays.

Robinson returned to NASA Langley in September 1994, where he accepted a dual assignment as research scientist in the [[Multidisciplinary design optimization]] Branch, and as leader of the [[Aerodynamics]] and [[Acoustics]] element of NASA's General Aviation Technology program.

Robinson has logged over 1,400 hours in aircraft ranging from antique [[Conventional landing gear|taildraggers]] to NASA jets.

[[File:Sts114 033.jpg|thumb|right|Steve Robinson on an [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] with [[Canadarm2]] on the [[International Space Station]]]]

Robinson began applying to become an astronaut in 1983, and was selected to join [[NASA Astronaut Corps]] in 1995.  He has flown on four [[Space Shuttle]] missions: [[STS-85]], [[STS-95]], [[STS-114]] and [[STS-130]].  Robinson served as backup flight engineer for the [[International Space Station]] [[Expedition 4]].<ref>{{cite news |title=ISS Expedition Four |publisher=NASA |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/crew/exp4/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011110033124/http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/crew/exp4/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 10, 2001 |accessdate=August 11, 2007 }}</ref>

On August 3, 2005, as a Mission Specialist (and Flight Engineer) on STS-114, the first Return to Flight mission following the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]], Robinson became the first human to perform an [[STS-114#In-flight repair|in-flight repair]] to the Shuttle's exterior. Robinson was sent to remove two protruding gap fillers on [[Space Shuttle Discovery|''Discovery'''s]] heat shield, after engineers determined they might pose a danger upon re-entry. Robinson successfully removed the loose material while the ''Discovery'' was docked to the [[International Space Station]]. Robinson performed another "first" on STS-114 when he made the first [[podcasting|podcast]] from space ([https://web.archive.org/web/20060615113723/http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/crew/robinson_podcast.html transcript & audio]) on August 7, 2005. His self-portrait took during the repair was considered one of the early [[space selfie]]s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Self-portraits and social media: The rise of the 'selfie' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22511650 |accessdate=December 27, 2013 |newspaper=BBC News Magazine |date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>

Robinson served as a [[mission specialist]] and flight engineer on [[STS-130]], which launched on February 8, 2010, and rendezvoused with the International Space Station on February 10. As Intravehicular Officer, he choreographed the three EVAs involved with the installation and activation of the [[Tranquility (ISS module)|Node 3 module]] and [[Cupola (ISS module)|Cupola]].

Robinson also served as [[Capsule communicator|CAPCOM]] for various Space Shuttle missions.

He retired from the Astronaut Corps in July 2012 to take a teaching position as a full-time professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department at [[University of California at Davis]]. "Steve will be sorely missed by the Astronaut Office," said [[Janet Kavandi]], Director of Flight Crew Operations. "He was a fellow classmate, and I will personally miss his ever-positive attitude and smiling face. We wish him the best in his future endeavors, and we are confident that he will be a positive influence and wonderful mentor to inquisitive minds at the University of California at Davis."<ref name=retired>{{cite web |last=Buck |first=Joshua and Bolden, Jay |title=NASA Astronaut Stephen K. Robinson Leaves Agency |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jul/HQ_12-227_Robinson_retires.html |accessdate=July 5, 2012 |publisher=[[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] |date=July 3, 2012}}</ref>

Robinson currently directs the UC Davis Center for Human/Robotics/Vehicle Integration and Performance (HRVIP).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hrvip.ucdavis.edu/ |title=Home |website=hrvip.ucdavis.edu}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
He enjoys [[Aviation|flying]], [[Aviation history|antique]] [[aircraft]], [[human swimming|swimming]], [[canoeing]], [[hiking]], [[music]], [[art]], and [[Stereoscopy|stereo photography]]. He plays lead [[guitar]] in [[Max Q (Astronaut band)|Max Q]], a [[rock and roll]] band. His [[Canadians|Canadian]] parents, William, a [[Real estate|land]] [[Surveyor (surveying)|surveyor]], and Joyce Robinson, resided in [[Moraga, California]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/robinson_stephen.pdf |title=Official NASA Bio, STEPHEN K. ROBINSON (PH.D.) NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER) |publisher=NASA |date=July 2012 |access-date=May 15, 2021}}
* [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/steve_robinson_profile.html STS-114 Steve Robinson Crew Profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050812011401/http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/afl/index.html Pre-Recorded Q&A with Steve Robinson] in NASA's Astronaut Flight Lounge; - Select "Steve Robinson" from the Astronauts tab
* [https://localwiki.org/davis/Stephen_Robinson Stephen Robinson on the Davis Wiki]
* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/robinson_stephen.htm Spacefacts biography of Stephen Robinson]
* [http://www.asma.org/ Aerospace Medical Association]
* {{C-SPAN|54261}}

{{Portal bar|Arts|Aviation|Biography|California|Engineering|Music|Physics|Science|Scouting|Outer space|United States}}

{{NASA Astronaut Group 15}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Stephen}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:American astronauts]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Sacramento, California]]
[[Category:People from Moraga, California]]
[[Category:Stanford University alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Davis alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Davis faculty]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts]]
[[Category:Spacewalkers]]