NASA Extends Sympathy to Poindexter Family on Death of Former Astronaut

July 02, 2012

Joshua Buck
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
jbuck@nasa.gov

Jay Bolden
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
jay.e.bolden@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 12-228

NASA EXTENDS SYMPATHY TO POINDEXTER FAMILY ON DEATH OF FORMER ASTRONAUT

HOUSTON -- Former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Alan
"Dex" Poindexter died while on vacation with his family July 1 in
Pensacola, Fla. A veteran of two spaceflights, Poindexter spent a
total of 28 days in space.

Poindexter, a U.S. Navy captain, commanded the STS-131 space shuttle
Discovery mission to the International Space Station in 2010,
delivering more than 13,000 pounds of hardware and equipment. He was
the pilot for shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission that delivered and
installed the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory on the
station in 2008.

"Alan and I joined the astronaut corps in 1998 and flew together on
STS-122, which was truly an incredible experience," said NASA
Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland
Melvin. "He was a passionate, caring and selfless individual who will
be missed by all."

"We in the astronaut family have lost not only a dear friend, but also
a patriot of the United States," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the
Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "He
proudly served his country for 26 years as a fighter pilot, test
pilot, astronaut and commander of a space shuttle. I am proud to have
both flown in space and worked with him for so many years. Dex will
be deeply missed by those of us at Johnson and the entire NASA
family."

Poindexter earned an undergraduate degree with highest honors from the
Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and a graduate degree from
the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He was selected as
an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and served in the Astronaut
Office, Shuttle Operations Branch at Johnson as the lead support
astronaut for NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He also served
as a spacecraft communicator, or CAPCOM, for multiple missions.

"Dex was a wonderful human being and a pleasure to have in the
astronaut office," Janet Kavandi, fellow astronaut and Director of
Flight Crew Operations said. "His good-natured demeanor made him
approachable to his crews and the many people at Johnson and Kennedy
who enabled his missions."

Poindexter retired from NASA and the astronaut corps in 2010 and
returned to serve in the United States Navy as Dean of Students at
the Naval Postgraduate School.

For Poindexter's complete biography, please visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/poindexter.html


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