National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058
Biographical Data

RANDOLPH J. BRESNIK (LIEUTENANT COLONEL, USMC)
NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born September 11, 19 67 in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Considers Santa Monica, California to be his hometown. Married to the former Rebecca Burgin of Pompton Plains, New Jersey, they have one son. He enjoys travel, music, photography, weight training, sports, scuba diving, motorcycling, and flying warbirds. His father Albert ‘Randy’ Bresnik resides in Santa Monica, California.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California, in 1985. B.A. in Mathematics from The Citadel, 1989. M.S. in Aviation Systems, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 2002.

ORGANIZATIONS: Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Association of Naval Aviation.

AWARDS: Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3), Presidential Unit Citation and various other service awards.

SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished Graduate: The Citadel NROTC, Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, Navy Flight Training. “Iron Mike” Physical Fitness Award, USMC Officer Basic School. The Outstanding Student Award, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Empire Test Pilot School Award, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Stephen A. Hazelrigg Memorial Award for Best Test Pilot/Engineer Team, Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron. “Best Paper” Award, European Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

EXPERIENCE: Bresnik received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1989. After graduation he attended The Basic School (TBS) and Infantry Officers Course (IOC) in Quantico, Virginia. Following Aviation Indoctrination and Primary flight training in Pensacola, Florida, he entered Intermediate and Advanced flight training in Beeville, Texas, and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1992. He then reported to the Navy Fighter/Attack Training Squadron VFA-106, NAS Cecil Field, Florida, for initial F/A-18 training. Upon completion of training he reported to Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron, VMFA-212 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, then MCAS El Toro, California, and additionally MCAS Miramar, California, where he made three overseas deployments to the Western Pacific. While assigned to VMFA-212, he attended the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course (WTI) and Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). Bresnik was selected for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and began the course in January 1999. After graduation in December 1999, he was assigned as a F/A-18 Test Pilot/Project Officer at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS). While at Strike, Bresnik flew the F/A-18 A-D and F/A-18 E/F in all manners of flight test. In January 2001, he returned to the USNTPS as a Fixed-Wing and Systems Flight Instructor, where he instructed in the F/A-18, T-38, and T-2. Bresnik returned to NSATS in January 2002 to continue flight test on the F/A-18 A-F as the Platform/Project Coordinator. In November 2002, he reported to Marine Aircraft Group Eleven ( MAG-11) as the Future Operations Officer. In January 2003 MAG-11 deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait. From Al Jaber he flew combat missions in the F/A-18 with VMFA-225 in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bresnik was the Operations Officer of VMFA-232 when he was selected for the astronaut program.

He has logged over 4,500 hours in 79 types of aircraft. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Rating and an Unlimited Piston Engine Letter of Authorization.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 2004. In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Bresnik is assigned as a mission specialist on the STS-129 crew. The mission is targeted for launch in October 2009, and will deliver two Express Logistics Carriers ( ELC racks) to the International Space Station. The mission will also feature four spacewalks and will bring back to earth Canadian astronaut, Robert Thirsk.

NOVEMBER 2008