Charles Owen Hobaugh

Hobaugh's final shuttle flight was STS-129, the 31st shuttle flight to the International Space Station. The crew delivered replacement parts for systems that provide power to the station, keep it from overheating, and maintain proper orientation in space. The mission also featured three spacewalks. The STS-129 mission was completed in over 10 days, traveling 4.5 million miles in 171 orbits, and returned to Earth bringing back with them NASA astronaut Nicole Passonno Stott, following her tour of duty aboard the Space Station.

Hobaugh joined STS-118, the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the International Space Station, and the 20th flight for Endeavour. Three crew members performed four spacewalks! Traveling 5.3 million miles in space, the STS-118 mission was completed in almost 12 days.

His participation in STS-104 was with the 10th mission to the International Space Station. During the 13-day flight, the crew conducted joint operations with the Expedition-2 crew and performed three spacewalks to install the joint airlock Quest and to outfit it with four high-pressure gas tanks. The mission was accomplished in 200 Earth orbits, traveling 5.3 million miles in over 307 hours.

A veteran of three space flights, Hobaugh logged over 876 hours in space. He was the pilot on (Space Transportation System) STS-104 in 2001 and STS-118 in 2007, and was the commander of STS-129 in 2009.

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Hobaugh reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. He completed two years of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight assignment as a pilot.

After receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the United States Naval Academy in May 1984, he graduated from the Marine Corps Basic School that December. Hobaugh then entered an impressively varied set of experiences. After a six month assignment at the Naval Air Systems Command, he reported to Naval Aviation Training Command and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1987. He then reported to Marine V/STOL Attack Squadron VMAT-203 for initial AV-8B Harrier Training. After this, he was assigned to Marine Attack Squadron VMA-331 and made overseas deployments to the Western Pacific at MCAS Iwakuni Japan and flew combat missions in the Persian Gulf during Desert Shield/Desert Storm embarked aboard the USS Nassau. While there, he attended the Marine Aviation Warfare and Tactics Instructor Course and was then assigned as the Squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Hobaugh was selected for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and began the course in June 1991. After graduation in June 1992, he was assigned to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate as various Project Officer and and Program Officers. While there, he showed excellence in flying various military aircraft. In 1994, he returned to the Naval Test Pilot School as an Instructor in the Systems Department. Hobaugh had been assigned to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School when he was selected for the astronaut program.

U.S. Marine Corps officer and NASA astronaut Colonel Hobaugh began his education by graduating from North Ridgeville High School, Ohio, in 1980; and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984.