Christopher Ferguson

Christopher J. Ferguson, born on September 1, 1961, is a distinguished Boeing commercial astronaut and a retired captain of the United States Navy. His career with NASA is marked by significant milestones, including his role as the pilot of Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-115 mission, which launched on September 9, 2006, and successfully returned to Earth on September 21, 2006.

Ferguson's expertise in spaceflight continued to shine as he commanded the STS-126 mission aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. His leadership culminated in 2011 when he took command of STS-135, the final mission of the iconic space shuttle program, marking a historic chapter in NASA's exploration efforts.

After retiring from NASA on December 9, 2011, Ferguson transitioned to a pivotal role as the director of Crew and Mission Operations for Boeing's Commercial Crew Program. His contributions to the future of space travel were further highlighted in August 2018 when he was assigned to the first test flight of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner, although he stepped down from this mission in October 2020.