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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Father, Husband.
@LMSpace
, retired NASA Astronaut, Caltech and WUStL graduate.
jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/…Joined May 2014
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357.8K Followers

Bob Behnken’s posts

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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
To me, this image captures exploration. Just like the photos of the Earth from the Moon, this perspective evokes emotion in an explorer! Thank you
@OSIRISREx
&
@CassiniSaturn
!
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NASA
@NASA
When viewed across the solar system, Earth is just a speck in the cosmos. Images taken of Earth from missions such as @OSIRISRex & @CassiniSaturn remind us of how precious our home planet is. View more images of Earth from afar & celebrate #EarthDay: go.nasa.gov/2GsbaZA
On July 19, 2013, while exploring Saturn, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft took this image of Earth from a distance of about 1.45 billion kilometers (898 million miles) away.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
I'm extremely proud to have been a small part of what
@NASA
and
@SpaceX
just accomplished! Launching humans into space and bringing them home safely is a high water mark for technical achievement. We did it!
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NASA
@NASA
"Thanks for flying @SpaceX." 📍 Current Location: Planet Earth A 2:48pm ET, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug splashed down, marking the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. #LaunchAmerica
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
I'm so proud of the
@NASA
and
@SpaceX
team today, they were ready for launch.
@Astro_Doug
and I will be ready with them again on Saturday! #LauchAmerica
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NASA
@NASA
#LaunchAmerica Update: Weather is the the one thing that we actually cannot control on our missions so unfortunately, it did cause us to scrub today. The vehicles are healthy. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug were ready to go and will be ready on our next launch attempt Saturday.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Thank you Mr. President! The opportunity to be a part of this mission was truly humbling. The ingenuity, cooperation, and dedication required by the team who accomplished this is a tribute to America!
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Barack Obama
@BarackObama
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Welcome home, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! We launched the Commercial Crew program to strengthen our U.S. space program and it's been great to see its success. This historic NASA-SpaceX mission is a symbol of what American ingenuity and inventiveness can achieve.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Teams from
@NASA
&
@SpaceX
continue to monitor weather, but we’re still on track for departure this weekend. Looking forward to climbing back into Endeavour for our trip home. #LandAmerica
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NASA and 2 others
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NASA Commercial Crew
@Commercial_Crew
@NASA and @SpaceX remain GO with plans to bring @Astro_Doug and @AstroBehnken home to Earth this weekend. Teams will continue to monitor weather before undocking Saturday night. Read more: blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Spacewalk number ten — complete.
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NASA
@NASA
LIVE FROM SPACE: Check out this helmet cam view from @AstroBehnken during today’s spacewalk. Using the ‘pistol grip tool,’ or PGT, he loosens bolts on hardware outside the @Space_Station.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Scrubs are part of conducting spaceflight safely and successfully. During my last mission to
@Space_Station
weather caught us too! We're ready for the next launch opportunity! There's a reason the name
@NASAPersevere
was selected for another of our Agency's our endeavours!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Exciting couple of days here at
@NASAKennedy
! Crew arrival in Florida was awesome, seeing our vehicle roll to 39A was epic, and watching our
@SpaceX
Falcon9 1st stage fire one more time before our mission still has a smile on my face!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Hope you can join us!
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NASA
@NASA
SPECIAL EVENT: We invite you to experience #LaunchAmerica virtually with us and @SpaceX! From your own home, you can: 🚀 Take virtual NASA tours 🐉 Practice docking Crew Dragon 📡 Watch live NASA TV coverage And much more. RSVP to be part of history: go.nasa.gov/3bLmptS
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Exciting weekend! Had fun dry-running
@SpaceX
Crew Dragon pre-launch activities--w/space suits & modern transport. Saw first hand demo of Dragon's launch escape system. Two very different types of excitement (check our faces)! Super proud of what the team has accomplished!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
It was awesome to see the Falcon9 and Dragon capsule head to 39A with the
@SpaceX
team last night. Thanks for sharing the event with us!
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NASA HQ PHOTO
@nasahqphoto
The @SpaceX Crew Dragon is rolled out to the launch pad and raised vertical ahead of the launch of @NASA astronauts @AstroBehnken & @Astro_Doug from @NASAKennedy to the @Space_Station. More #LaunchAmerica Photos: flic.kr/s/aHsmNkDoh2
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
My son and I took in a recent Falcon 9/Dragon launch together. This is what it took to get his approval for me to be onboard later this month!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Resilience! Excellent choice for next
@NASA
/
@SpaceX
mission's capsule! Hope Crew-1 turns these or some of our other activities from the crew demo mission into traditions as well: - Plant a tree! - Launch/recover a rocket! - Bring a friend! - Enjoy the view, and share it!
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NASA
@NASA
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The Crew-1 Dragon capsule number 207 will henceforth be known by the call sign: Resilience. The Crew-1 astronauts are overjoyed to announce the name of the @SpaceX vehicle ahead of their Oct. 31 launch to the @Space_Station.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
I enjoyed seeing the
@SpaceX
&
@Commercial_Crew
team execute today! Impressive demo of Crew Dragon's escape system under challenging conditions. Next step: team will verify results matched predictions while
@Astro_Doug
and I continue prepping to launch again from America!
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
Crew Dragon separating from Falcon 9 during today’s test, which verified the spacecraft’s ability to carry astronauts to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
It was extremely humbling to be recognized among the previous recipients. Huge thank you to
@NASA
for the nomination, to @SpaceX/NASA for making it possible, and
@VP
for taking the time with our families to make the event so special!
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Vice President Kamala Harris
@VP
Former NASA astronaut Robert Behnken, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley stand for a photograph.
Former NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley, left, is awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremony in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Washington. Former astronauts Hurley and Robert Behnken were awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their bravery in NASA’s SpaceX Demonstration Mission-2 to the International Space Station in 2020, the first crewed flight as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Former NASA astronaut Robert Behnken, left, is awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremony in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Washington. Former astronauts Behnken and Douglas Hurley were awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their bravery in NASA’s SpaceX Demonstration Mission-2 to the International Space Station in 2020, the first crewed flight as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley helped write a new chapter in the history of spaceflight as the first astronauts to launch to orbit in a commercial capsule. It was my honor to present them with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
It's an example of what American Science and Engineering can do when focused properly. I am so proud to be a small part if it! Thank you
@NASA
and
@SpaceX
! #LaunchAmerica
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NASA
@NASA
Together with @SpaceX, we will return human spaceflight to American soil after nearly a decade. May 27 is not only a big day for our teams – it’s a big day for our country. What does our @Commercial_Crew launch mean to YOU? Share using #LaunchAmerica: go.nasa.gov/2AeqVnF
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Flight test of Dragon's escape system will be the culmination of a huge effort by the
@SpaceX
&
@NASA
@Commercial_Crew
team. It'll consume a lot of hardware but should give us confidence that crews will stay safe during ascent emergencies. AND, it'll be spectacular to watch!
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
Ahead of our in-flight abort test for @Commercial_Crew—which will demonstrate Crew Dragon's ability to safely carry astronauts away from the rocket in the unlikely event of an emergency—our team has completed over 700 tests of the spacecraft's SuperDraco engines
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
The best part of returning home after having completed the 1st crewed flight of
@SpaceX
's Dragon was my son's attempt to take me down at the bottom of the airstairs when I returned to Ellington Field!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Previewed this in person earlier this week at
@NASAKennedy
from the old shuttle Launch Control Center. Awesome to see the
@SpaceX
Crew Dragon team work their Falcon counterparts through engine start-up! And a little bit nostalgic...
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
Static fire test complete—targeting February launch from historic Launch Complex 39A for Crew Dragon’s first demonstration flight!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Congratulations to the newest class of
@Caltech
students. I can't wait to be amazed by what you accomplish!
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Caltech
@Caltech
While aboard the @Space_Station, astronaut and Caltech alumnus Bob Behnken (MS '93, PhD '97, @AstroBehnken) took the time to record a message of welcome to students and postdocs starting their Caltech journey this week. 👨🏼‍🚀.👏
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
L-3 weeks means training complete! It also means that the launch and mission memorabilia is coalescing...
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NASA Commercial Crew
@Commercial_Crew
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We are officially three weeks away from NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 launch! 🇺🇸🚀 #LaunchAmerica Astronauts @AstroBehnken & @Astro_Doug will fly to the @Space_Station aboard the #CrewDragon spacecraft. Liftoff from @NASAKennedy's Launch Complex 39A is slated for May 27 at 4:32 p.m. EDT.
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Night launches are always my favorite, especially from the Florida coast! Congratulations to
@SpaceX
,
@Commercial_Crew
, and
@NASA
for getting us another step closer to launching humans from American soil again!
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NASA
@NASA
Streaking through the sky, @SpaceX’s #CrewDragon is headed to the @Space_Station! Today’s successful launch marks the first time a commercially-built & operated American crew spacecraft & rocket launched from U.S. soil on its way to the station. Details: go.nasa.gov/2TtIJmA
March 2, 2019 uncrewed launch for the Commercial Crew Program
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
The coolest thing about this is seeing how many friends are in this
@SpaceX
crowd!
@Astro_Doug
and I have enjoyed getting to know you as you made this spacecraft happen. Thank you for your diligence and dedication!
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
SpaceX employees with Crew Dragon before it departed our Hawthorne factory for the launch site in Florida – one step closer to returning human spaceflight capabilities to the United States!
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Usually
@Astro_Doug
, myself, and the rest of the team are all business as we do our part to keep
@SpaceX
's Demo2 mission headed towards
@Space_Station
, but on that day we took just a few seconds for pictures!
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NASA Astronauts
@NASA_Astronauts
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What’s new with our @Commercial_Crew astronauts? @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug recently performed suit-up & leak checks using the same Ground Support Equipment hardware that they will use for launch on @SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission. Keep up with their training: go.nasa.gov/2feAumX
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Really wish
@Astro_Doug
and I could have joined
@SpaceX
's McGregor team for this! Huge step on the path to bringing human spaceflight back to
@NASAKennedy
and the Florida coast, we won't miss engine start next time!
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
Team in McGregor, Texas completed a static fire test today of the Falcon 9 booster that will launch Crew Dragon with @NASA astronauts @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug to the @space_station
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Bob Behnken
@AstroBehnken
Wish I could have been in Florida to see this in person! I won't miss the In-Flight Abort test! Congratulations to the
@SpaceX
and
@NASA
@Commercial_Crew
team!
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NASA Commercial Crew
@Commercial_Crew
This afternoon, @SpaceX completed a series of static fire engine tests for #CrewDragon's launch escape system. Now, SpaceX and @NASA will 1⃣ Review data from the test 2⃣ Perform hardware inspections 3⃣ Establish launch date for In-Flight Abort Test 💻: go.nasa.gov/33M1hk2
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