Matthew Dominick
NASA Astronaut and U.S. Navy Commander
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Summary
Matthew Dominick was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported for duty in August 2017. The Colorado native earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of San Diego and a Master of Science degree in in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He graduated from U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He has more than 1,600 hours of flight time in 28 aircraft, 400 carrier-arrested landings, and 61 combat missions. Matthew Dominick launched to the International Space Station March 3, 2024 as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. He’s serving as a flight engineer aboard the orbiting laboratory and will spend approximately 6 months conducting science experiments and maintaining the space station.
Personal
Dominick was born and raised in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. He is married to Faith Dominick, and the couple has two daughters. His parents, Donald and Rhonda Dominick, still live in Wheat Ridge.
Education
Graduated from D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School in Golden, Colorado. Earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of San Diego with minors in Physics and Mathematics. Earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland.
Experience
Dominick was commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) following graduation from the University of San Diego in 2005 and reported to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. He was designated as a Naval Aviator in 2007 and reported to Strike Fighter Squadron 106, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, for transition to the F/A‑18E Super Hornet. Following his initial training, Dominick was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 143. He made two deployments to the North Arabian Sea, flying close air support missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While with Strike Fighter Squadron 143, Dominick was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School / U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Co-Operative Program, where he earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Post Graduate School and graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.
Designated a developmental test pilot in 2013, Dominick was assigned to the fixed wing carrier suitability flight test department of Air Test Evaluation Squadron 23. There he served as developmental flight test project officer for a variety of carrier suitability test programs, including MAGIC CARPET, Joint Precision Approach & Landing Systems, Infrared Search and Track Pod, and the precision approach and landing certification of aircraft carriers. He flew developmental flight tests in the F/A-18ABCD, F/A-18E/F, and EA-18G. Additionally, he contributed to X-47B, Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike, V‑22, T-45, E-2C, C-2A, and F-35C test programs.
In 2016, Dominick returned to an operational naval squadron, Strike Fighter Squadron 115, flying F/A-18E Super Hornets in the Forward Deployed Naval Forces stationed in Atsugi, Japan. At the time of his selection as an Astronaut Candidate in June 2017, Dominick was at sea on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) serving in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator and a department head for Strike Fighter Squadron 115. He has accumulated more than 1,600 flight hours in 28 aircraft models, 400 carrier arrestments, 61 combat missions, and nearly 200 flight test carrier landings (arrested and touch-and-go).
NASA Experience
Dominick reported for duty in August 2017 and completed two years of training as an Astronaut Candidate. Matthew Dominick launched to the International Space Station March 3, 2024 as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. He’s serving as a flight engineer aboard the orbiting laboratory and will spend approximately 6 months conducting science experiments and maintaining the space station.
Awards/Honors
2015 Naval Test Wing Atlantic Test Pilot of the Year; Member of the 2015 Department of the Navy Test Team of the Year; Strike Flight Air Medal (three awards); Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal; and Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards)
Organizations
Society of Experimental Test Pilots Society of Flight Test Engineers and Tailhook Association.