View source for Robert Curbeam

{{Short description|American astronaut (born 1962)}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name        = Robert Curbeam
|image       = Robert Curbeam.jpg
|caption     = Curbeam in January 2001
|birth_name  = Robert Lee Curbeam Jr.
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1962|3|5}}
|birth_place = [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], U.S.
|death_date  = 
|death_place = 
|education   = [[United States Naval Academy]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Naval Postgraduate School]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Master of Science|MS]])
|type        = [[NASA astronaut]]
|rank        = [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]], [[United States Navy|USN]]
|time        = 37d 14h 33m
|selection   = [[NASA Astronaut Group 15|NASA Group 15 (1994)]]
|eva1        = 7
|eva2        = 45h 34m
|mission     = [[STS-85]]<br>[[STS-98]]<br>[[STS-116]]
|insignia    = [[File:Sts-85-patch.png|45px]] [[File:Sts-98-patch.png|45px]] [[File:Sts-116-patch.png|45px]]
}}
'''Robert Lee Curbeam Jr.''' (born March 5, 1962) is a former [[NASA]] [[astronaut]] and [[Captain (naval)|captain]] in the [[United States Navy]].<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/curbeam_robert.pdf |title=Biographical data: Robert L. Curbeam Jr., (Captain, USN, Ret.) NASA Astronaut (former) |publisher=NASA| access-date=January 16, 2021 |date=December 2007}}</ref> He currently holds the record for the most [[Extra-vehicular activity|spacewalks]] during a single spaceflight, accomplished during the [[STS-116]] mission, when Curbeam completed four spacewalks.<ref name="bio"/>

==Education==
Curbeam graduated from [[Woodlawn High School (Baltimore)|Woodlawn High School]], [[Baltimore County, Maryland|Baltimore County]], Maryland in 1980. He earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[Aerospace Engineering]] from the [[United States Naval Academy]] in 1984, a [[Master of Science]] degree in [[Aeronautical Engineering]] from the [[Naval Postgraduate School]] in 1990, and a master's degree in [[Astronautics|Astronautical Engineering]] from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991.

Curbeam was named Fighter Wing One Radar Intercept Officer of the Year in 1989 and received the [[U.S. Naval Test Pilot School]] Best Developmental Thesis (DT-II) Award.

==Naval career==
Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, Curbeam commenced [[Naval Flight Officer]] training in 1984. In 1986 he reported to Fighter Squadron 11 ([[VFA-11|VF-11]]) and made overseas deployments on board the [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Forrestal|CV-59|6}}. During his tour in VF-11, he also attended the [[Navy Fighter Weapons School]].

Upon graduation of [[United States Naval Test Pilot School]] in December 1991, he reported to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate, where he was the project officer for the [[F-14]]A/B Air-to-Ground Weapons Separation Program. In August 1994, he returned to the U.S. Naval Academy as an instructor in the Weapons and Systems Engineering Department.

==NASA career==
Selected by NASA in December 1994, Curbeam reported to the [[Johnson Space Center]] in March 1995. After completing a year of training and evaluation, he was assigned to the Computer Support Branch in the Astronaut Office. He is a veteran of three space flights: [[STS-85]] in 1997, [[STS-98]] in 2001, [[STS-116]] in 2006, and has logged over 901 hours in space, including over 45 hours during three spacewalks.<ref name="bio"/>

Between the first two flights, Curbeam was a spacecraft communicator ([[Capsule communicator|CAPCOM]]) responsible for relaying all voice communication between Mission Control and crews aboard the [[Space Shuttle]] and [[International Space Station]]. After his second flight, he also was the CAPCOM Branch Chief. During the spring of 2002, he was Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance, at NASA Headquarters, [[Washington, D.C.]]

===Spaceflight experience===
[[STS-85]] (August 7–19, 1997) was a 12-day mission during which the crew deployed and retrieved the CRISTA-SPAS payload, operated the Japanese Manipulator Flight Demonstration (MFD) robotic arm, studied changes in the [[Earth's atmosphere]], and tested technology destined for use on the future [[International Space Station]].<ref name="bio"/>

[[STS-98]] (February 7–20, 2001) continued the task of building and enhancing the [[International Space Station]] by delivering the U.S. laboratory module [[Destiny (ISS module)|Destiny]]. The [[Space Shuttle|Shuttle]] spent seven days docked to the station while Destiny was attached. In helping to complete its assembly, Curbeam logged over 19 [[extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] hours in 3 space walks.<ref name="bio"/>

[[File:STS-116 Solar Panel Spacewalk.jpg|thumb|Mission STS-116: Curbeam fixing the solar array wing on the International Space Station's P6 truss during his fourth EVA]]
[[STS-116]] (December 9–22, 2006)<!-- , launched December 9, 2006, at 8:47&nbsp;p.m. EST, --> was a mission to the International Space Station. The mission involved the installation of a new truss segment and the rewiring of the station's electrical system. During the mission, Curbeam was the EVA crewmember for the record-breaking four spacewalks, three of which were conducted along with astronaut [[Christer Fuglesang]] (Sweden) and one along with astronaut [[Sunita Williams]].<ref name="bio"/>

==Post-NASA career==
On December 7, 2007, NASA announced that Curbeam had chosen to leave NASA after 13 years, to pursue a job in the private sector.<ref name="retire">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/dec/HQ_07268_Curbeam_Leaves_NASA.html|title=Veteran Astronaut and Spacewalker Robert Curbeam Leaves NASA|access-date=December 7, 2007 |publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA}}</ref> He presently works for Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems as the Senior Director of Business Development in Virginia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bio- Robert Curbeam|url=https://www.northropgrumman.com/wp-content/uploads/Robert-Curbeam-bio.pdf|publisher=Northrop Grumman|access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref>

Having played lacrosse as a student athlete at the Naval Academy, Curbeam became an assistant coach for the boys lacrosse team at [[Clear Lake High School (Houston, Texas)|Clear Lake High School]] in Houston, Texas. In 2011, Curbeam led Clear Lake to the semifinal match of the Texas High School Lacrosse League South District Championship game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/sports/south-district-lacrosse-champ-clear-lake-boys-fall-in-close/article_c22c46a6-14ab-5585-96ef-86c9f177bf0e.html|title=Bay Area}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of African-American astronauts]]
*[[List of ISS spacewalks]]
*[[List of cumulative spacewalk records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/curbeam_robert.htm Spacefacts biography of Robert Curbeam]

{{NASA Astronaut Group 15}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curbeam, Robert}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American engineers]]
[[Category:American test pilots]]
[[Category:Aviators from Maryland]]
[[Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni]]
[[Category:People from Baltimore]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]
[[Category:United States Naval Flight Officers]]
[[Category:United States Naval Test Pilot School alumni]]
[[Category:United States Navy astronauts]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts]]
[[Category:Spacewalkers]]