Biographies of U.S. Astronauts

Durrance

Samuel Thornton

USA

hi res version (579 KB)

more photos

Personal data

Birthdate:  17.09.1943
Birthplace:  Tallahassee / Florida
Marital status:  married
Children:  two
Selection date:  20.06.1984
Selection group:  ASTRO-1 / ASTRO-2
Position:  PSP
Status:  Ret. 18.03.1995
Day of death:  05.05.2023
Place of death:  Viera, Florida

Spaceflights

No. Mission Position Time Duration
1  STS-35 Columbia  PS  02.12. - 11.12.1990 8d 23h 05m 
2  STS-67 Endeavour  PS  02.03. - 18.03.1995 16d 15h 08m 
3        
4        
5        
6        
7        
Total  25d 14h 13m 
         

Additional information

Bachelor of science and master of science in Physics from California State University, 1972 and 1974 respectively; Ph.D. in astro-geophysics from University of Colorado, 1980; Principal Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; first he was selected for STS-61E (mission cancelled); hobbies: the beach with the family, scuba diving, flying, running, auto racing, photography, camping; later he served as Director of Science and Technology for Faisat Constellation of Low-Earth Orbit Satellites, Final Analysis, Lanham, Maryland; was Director of the Florida Space Research Institute at KSC.

©      

Last update on May 06, 2023.

SPACEFACTS patch