Jim is married with one daughter. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and from the University of Colorado received a masters degree and an Honorary Doctorate.

He is a retired Army Colonel. Jim served as an Infantryman in Germany, taught at West Point, attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and then worked as a flight test engineer at Edwards Air Force Base. After being assigned to the Johnson Space Center as an engineer in 1984, he was selected for the Astronaut Program in 1987.

Jim has flown on five space missions on three different spacecraft and has conducted 4 spacewalks, including the longest in history. After living on board the International Space Station for 163 days, his total time living and working in space is 202 days. While training in Russia for the Russian space station Mir and ISS he became fluent in Russian and an expert on Russian space systems.

Jim’s last role with NASA was as the Deputy for Flight Operations in the Space Station Program. On retirement from NASA he became Associate Dean of Engineering at Auburn University where he taught classes on human spacecraft design. From 2005 to 2013 he worked in private industry as vice president for three different companies with responsibility for developing human spacecraft for NASA. Jim retired from industry in 2013. In 2009 Jim began teaching classes on human spaceflight at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he is currently pursuing his passion for education and human spaceflight. He remains involved with our Nation’s space program by being a member of the NASA Advisory Council.

Likes flying and working on his experimental airplane, hiking, skiing, golf, and talking to the public about our Nation’s space program.