John M. Grunsfeld

Quick Facts

Full Name	John M. Grunsfeld
Occupation	Physicist
Date Of Birth	Oct 10, 1958(1958-10-10)
Age	66
Birthplace	Chicago
Country	United States
Birth City	Illinois
Horoscope	Libra

John M. Grunsfeld Biography

John M. Grunsfeld is one of the most popular and richest Physicist who was born on October 10, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. John Mace Grunsfeld (born October 10 1958) is an American scientist, physicist, and ex- NASA astronaut. He has been a part of five Space Shuttle flights and has been NASA chief scientist. His research interests include in high-energy astrophysics, cosmic ray physics and also the expanding field of exoplanet research and a special interest in the development of future instruments for astronomy. After resigning in 2009 from NASA in the year 2009, Dr. Xu was the deputy director for Space Telescope Science Institute. Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. He was appointed in the beginning of January 2012. was back at NASA and was the assistant administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Grunsfeld announced his resignation of NASA in April of 2016.

Grunsfeld was featured on the PBS NOVA episode “Deadly Ascent” in which he was seen climbing Denali the highest mountain of North America, in June 2000. Grunsfeld together with Howard Donner, (a consultant to NASA) carried out research on the effects on body temperature at high altitudes using internal thermometers that were swallowed in pills. He could climb to 17200 feet but acute symptoms of altitude sickness caused him to go back. Grunsfeld was influenced to climb by Edmund Hillary in mountaineering.

STS-125 Space Shuttle Atlantis (May 11–24, 2009) was the fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A May 11, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. EDT, and landed on May 24, 2009 at California’s Edwards Air Force Base. During the mission, Grunsfeld performed three of the mission’s five back-to-back spacewalks, which installed two new instruments to the Hubble Space Telescope: The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, and the Wide Field Camera 3. The mission also replaced a Fine Guidance Sensor, six new gyroscopes, and two battery unit modules, to allow the telescope to continue to function at least through 2014. One issue Grunsfeld and his crew experienced during the overhaul was the stripping of 10mm bolts due to improper assembly and technique which he discussed again on Car Talk.

According to a NASA press release in January 2010, Grunsfeld indicated he would leave the agency to serve as deputy director of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. There he helped prepare the institute for operations with NASA’s planned James Webb Space Telescope. He also became a research professor in the Johns Hopkins University department of physics and astronomy in July, 2010.

Grunsfeld was scouted to be selected by NASA at the beginning of March in 1992 to be an astronaut candidate . He was assigned at the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. He completed a year of education and became eligible for selection of flights as mission specialist. Grunsfeld was initially assigned in the Astronaut Office Mission Development Branch, and was designated as the head of portable computers to be used in space. After his first space flight, Grunsfeld led a team composed of computer programmers and engineers responsible for defining and constructing the crew display for control and command for the International Space Station (ISS). In the course of this work, He was in charge of a project that merged the capabilities that comprised the Mission Control Center (MCC) Display Team and the Space Station Training Facility. This led to the creation of the Common Display Development Facility (CDDF) which is responsible for displays onboard as well as the MCC displays on Space Station. International Space Station, using methods of object- oriented programming. After the second flight the astronaut was appointed as the Chief of the Computer Support Branch in the Astronaut Office. This office was responsible for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs as well as advanced technological development. After STS-103, he was appointed as the chief of the branch for extravehicular activities within the Astronaut Office. After STS-109, Grunsfeld worked as an instructor for the branch of Extravehicular Activities and also worked on working on Orbital Space Plane, exploration concepts and techniques that extend beyond low earth orbit within the Advanced Programs Branch. He was NASA Chief Scientist, assigned to NASA Headquarters from 2003 to 2004. Then, in the month of January 2011, he took on the role of the assistant administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA’s headquarters in Washington and replaced Ed Weiler.

John M. Grunsfeld Net Worth

John M. Grunsfeld is one of the richest Physicist from United States. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, John M. Grunsfeld 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

The graduate of Grunsfeld attended Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois in 1976. He went to an institution called the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving an undergraduate degree in Science in Physics in the year 1980. He continued his studies at an undergraduate program at University of Chicago, earning an Master of Science in physics in 1984, and the Doctor of Philosophy in physics in 1988.

Grunsfeld’s academic posts include those of visiting scientist at the University of Tokyo/Institute for Space and Astronautical Sciences (1980-81) Graduate researcher, University of Chicago (1981-1985); NASA Graduate Student Fellow, University of Chicago (1985-1987); W.D. Grainger Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Experimental Physics, University of Chicago (1988-89) as well as senior research fellow at the California Institute of Technology (1989-1992). The research of Grunsfeld has included the x-ray and gamma-ray fields of astronomy, cosmic ray studies with high energy and the development of new detectors and instruments. Grunsfeld investigated binary pulsars as well as active gamma and x-ray sources by using NASA Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, NASA Compton Gamma Ray Observatory as well as X-ray astronomy satellites radio telescopes and optical telescopes including the NASA Hubble Space Telescope.

In June 2004, Grunsfeld returned to McKinley while on vacation from NASA and successfully led a team that summitted. He is the only astronaut to have climbed to the top of Denali.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

John M. Grunsfeld height Not available right now. John weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is John M. Grunsfeld Dating?

According to our records, John M. Grunsfeld is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of December 1, 2023, John M. Grunsfeld’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for John M. Grunsfeld. You may help us to build the dating records for John M. Grunsfeld!

STS-81 Space Shuttle Atlantis (January 12–22, 1997) was a 10-day mission, the fifth to dock with Russia’s Mir space station, and the second to exchange U.S. astronauts. The mission also carried the Spacehab double module providing additional middeck locker space for secondary experiments. In five days of docked operations more than three tons of food, water, experiment equipment and samples were moved back and forth between the two spacecraft. Grunsfeld served as the flight engineer on this flight. Following 160 orbits of the Earth the STS-81 mission concluded with a landing on Kennedy Space Center’s Runway 33 ending a 3.9 million mile journey. Mission duration was 244 hours, 56 minutes. During this flight, Grunsfeld placed a phone call to NPR’s auto- repair radio show, Car Talk. In this call he complained about his government Rockwell “van’s” performance. To wit, it would run very loud and rough for about two minutes, quieter for another six and a half, and then the engine would quit. This created some consternation for the hosts until they realized that the van in question was, in fact, the Space Shuttle.

Facts & Trivia

John Ranked on the list of most popular Physicist. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in United States. John M. Grunsfeld celebrates birthday on October 10 of every year.

On April 5, 2016, Grunsfield announced his retirement from NASA, which starts from April 30.