Clayton C. Anderson US astronaut candidate Date of Birth: 23.02.1959 Country: USA

1. Clayton Anderson: From Nebraska to Outer Space
2. A Career at NASA
3. Family and Interests

Clayton Anderson: From Nebraska to Outer Space

Clayton Anderson was born on February 23, 1959, in Omaha, Nebraska, but he considers Ashland, Nebraska, his hometown. He graduated from Ashland-Greenwood High School in 1977. Anderson then went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Physics from Hastings College in 1981. In 1983, he received a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University.

A Career at NASA

After completing his education, Anderson began working at Johnson Space Center in 1983. He started in the Mission Planning and Analysis Division, where he calculated trajectories for space shuttle missions. In 1988, he moved to the Mission Operations Directorate, leading the trajectory design group for various missions, including STS-34, STS-31, STS-37, and STS-46.

In 1989, Anderson became the head of the Ascent Flight Design Section and later the Flight Design Engineering Office in the Flight Design and Dynamics Division. In 1993, he was appointed as the Chief of the Flight Design Branch.

From 1996 until his selection as an astronaut in 1998, Anderson served as the leader of the Emergency Operations Center in Houston. In June 1998, he joined NASA's 17th astronaut group as a mission specialist. He completed the required training and became a qualified astronaut in August 1999, joining the Astronaut Office at NASA.

During his career, Anderson served as a Communication Operator with the shuttle crews (CAPCOM) and provided support to the ISS Expedition 4 crew as a Crew Support Astronaut. He later worked on the development of the Enhanced Caution and Warning System for the cockpit avionics upgrade project.

Family and Interests

Anderson is married to Susan Jane Harreld, and they have a son named Clayton "Cole" and a daughter named Sutton Marie. Outside of his work, Anderson has a variety of interests. He played basketball, football, and ran track during his college years. He also composes music, plays the organ and piano, and enjoys singing. Anderson is an avid reader and has a passion for various sports.