Spring Break
Alumni scheduled to go to space again
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
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Drexel alum Christopher Ferguson will once again be part of a NASA flight as Commander of the Endeavor mission, in September 2008. Ferguson was previously the pilot of NASA's Atlantis mission to renovate the International Space Station in September 2006.
Ferguson revealed a lot about his career and his time at NASA in a telephone interview with The Triangle. Ferguson said he was always interested in NASA, but during his time at Drexel he did not envision becoming an astronaut.
"One thing just kind of led to another," Ferguson said about eventually joining NASA.
Ferguson was born in Philadelphia, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel. He attended the University from 1979-1984. While at Drexel, Ferguson did follow the evolution of space exploration.
During his time at Drexel, Ferguson was a member of the Navy ROTC at the University of Pennsylvania. The Navy was another path that fascinated Ferguson, and it became his first career after graduation.
Ferguson served in a variety of roles in the Navy and received a Masters of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991.
While in the Navy, Ferguson was deployed to the western Pacific and Persian Gulf aboard the USS Nimitz, among other assignments.
"Being in the Navy made me enjoy flying," said Ferguson.
Ferguson decided to apply to NASA in part because of his "interest in things I never completely understood."
"It's a very long and rigorous application process," Ferguson said.
He added that it is very rare to be chosen to join NASA when applying for the first time. Ferguson was selected his third attempt at applying, in 1998.
When Ferguson joined NASA, he went through a lot of generic training. The training dealt with subjects such as "fuel cells, orbit and generic space-flight related information," and lasted for approximately 18 months.
Ferguson then did flight reviews for about three years and worked with keeping NASA crews informed.
Ferguson revealed a lot about his career and his time at NASA in a telephone interview with The Triangle. Ferguson said he was always interested in NASA, but during his time at Drexel he did not envision becoming an astronaut.
"One thing just kind of led to another," Ferguson said about eventually joining NASA.
Ferguson was born in Philadelphia, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel. He attended the University from 1979-1984. While at Drexel, Ferguson did follow the evolution of space exploration.
During his time at Drexel, Ferguson was a member of the Navy ROTC at the University of Pennsylvania. The Navy was another path that fascinated Ferguson, and it became his first career after graduation.
Ferguson served in a variety of roles in the Navy and received a Masters of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991.
While in the Navy, Ferguson was deployed to the western Pacific and Persian Gulf aboard the USS Nimitz, among other assignments.
"Being in the Navy made me enjoy flying," said Ferguson.
Ferguson decided to apply to NASA in part because of his "interest in things I never completely understood."
"It's a very long and rigorous application process," Ferguson said.
He added that it is very rare to be chosen to join NASA when applying for the first time. Ferguson was selected his third attempt at applying, in 1998.
When Ferguson joined NASA, he went through a lot of generic training. The training dealt with subjects such as "fuel cells, orbit and generic space-flight related information," and lasted for approximately 18 months.
Ferguson then did flight reviews for about three years and worked with keeping NASA crews informed.
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