- Grew up in Atlanta, GA.
- Graduated from Georgia Tech in 1983 with a degree in
Aerospace Engineering.
- Four years in the U.S. Air Force.
- Assigned to the Space Shuttle Launch Site in Vandenberg Air
Force Base, CA.
- Honorably discharged with the rank of Captain in 1987.
- After discharge, joined NASA at Kennedy Space Center.
- For first several years with NASA, worked as a Shuttle
orbiter project engineer.
- In 1996, became a member of KSC's Space Station Team.
- Was manager responsible for overseeing launch site
processing of the first U.S. launched element of the ISS - Unity - launched and deployed
in space during the STS-88 mission in Dec. 1998.
- Currently manager of the U.S. Laboratory Module (named "Destiny") and the airlock. Both will be launched on separate Shuttle missions in 2001.
- Married to the former Lynn Ficken.
They have two children, Jon and Jacqueline.
- Jon enjoys hang gliding, SCUBA diving, football and
baseball.
Bio last updated - June 2000
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Involvement
in pre-launch briefings can take one of three forms -- either as the master of
ceremonies, a presenter or a scriptwriter. The briefing is composed of two twenty
minute presentations -- one that focuses on KSC as a wildlife refuge and also provides an
overview of Shuttle processing, followed by a second presentation that highlights
projected mission, science and crew activities.
Jon has been involved with the
Launch Guest Briefing Program the
longest of all our current briefers. He is also a highly sought after speaker with
the KSC Speakers Bureau.
Involvement In Past
Launch Guest Briefings |
| Shuttle
Mission |
Master of Ceremonies |
Shuttle
Processing |
Crew/
Mission Science |
Script
Writer |
| STS-95, Oct.
1998 |
|
X |
|
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| STS-88, Dec.
1998 |
|
|
X |
|
| STS-96, May
1999 |
|
|
X |
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STS-93,
July 1999 |
|
X |
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STS-103,
Dec. 1999 |
|
X |
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STS-99,
Feb. 2000 |
|
X |
X |
|
STS-101,
May 2000 |
|
X |
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