Astronaut Tom Jones

Senior Research Scientist

Thomas D. Jones, Former NASA Astronaut, is a veteran NASA astronaut, scientist, speaker, author, and consultant. He holds a doctorate in planetary sciences, and in more than eleven years with NASA, flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth orbit. On his last flight, Dr. Jones led three spacewalks to install the centerpiece of the International Space Station, the American Destiny laboratory. He has spent fifty-three days working and living in space. Tom is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He piloted B-52D strategic bombers, studied asteroids for NASA, engineered intelligence-gathering systems for the CIA, and helped develop advanced mission concepts to explore the solar system prior to joining NASA’s astronaut corps. Tom’s latest title is Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System (written with Ellen Stofan, PhD; National Geographic, 2008). His other 2008 book, Hell Hawks! (with Robert F. Dorr; Zenith Press), is a true story of an aerial band of brothers in WWII, and the top-selling title at the National Air & Space Museum. Tom served on the NASA Advisory Council and is a board member of the Association of Space Explorers. He is an aerospace consultant and a regular on-air contributor to television spaceflight coverage.