Captain Jerry M. Linenger

Please join us as we wish Jerry M. Linenger a very Happy Birthday! 

Captain Jerry M. Linenger

M.D., M.S.S.M., M.P.H., Ph.D.

U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Eastpointe, Michigan Captain Linenger received a Bachelor of Science degree in bioscience from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977; a doctorate in medicine from Wayne State University in 1981; a Master of Science degree in systems management from University of Southern California in 1988; a Master of Public Health degree in health policy from the University of North Carolina in 1989; and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina in 1989. He was selected in the fourteenth group of astronauts in 1992. His first space flight was as mission specialist of STS-64 Discovery in September 1994. On January 12, 1997, he was launched on STS-81 Discovery (piloted by Pontiac-native Brent Jett) for 4-1/2 months onboard the Russian space station Mir. During his stay, Linenger became the first American to conduct a spacewalk from a foreign space station and in a non-American made spacesuit. Despite the difficulties he and his crewmates faced, such as the most severe fire ever aboard an orbiting spacecraft, failures of onboard systems, a near collision with a resupply cargo ship, loss of station electrical power, and loss of attitude control resulting in a slow, uncontrolled “tumble” through space, he still managed to accomplish 100 percent of his mission objectives. He returned to Earth on May 24, 1997, along with the crew of STS-84 Atlantis. He has orbited Earth more than 2,000 times over a total of 143 days, 2 hours, and 50 minutes in space.  Captain Linenger has also authored two books: Off the Planet, and Letters from Mir. He retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy in January 1998.