Astronaut Profile
Robert Behnken
Joint Operations Commander
Robert Behnken flew aboard SpaceX's Demo-2 mission, the first crewed flight of a commercially developed American spacecraft.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Joint Operations Commander • Living
Biography
The person behind the mission
Robert L. Behnken is a U.S. Air Force officer and test pilot who flew two Space Shuttle missions before being selected as one of the first two NASA astronauts to fly SpaceX's Crew Dragon. He launched aboard Demo-2 in May 2020 alongside Douglas Hurley, restoring American crewed launch capability after nearly a decade of reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Behnken conducted multiple spacewalks during his extended stay aboard the International Space Station.
Astronaut Details
Born
July 28, 1970
Birthplace
St. Ann, Missouri, USA
Role
Joint Operations Commander
Program
International Space Station
EVA Time
61 hours, 10 minutes
Missions
STS-123, STS-130, SpaceX Demo-2
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross
- NASA Space Flight Medal