Warren Hoburg
NASA Astronaut
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Summary
Warren “Woody” Hoburg was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported for duty in August 2017 and having completed the initial astronaut candidate training became eligible for a mission assignment. The Pennsylvania native earned a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He was leading a research group at MIT at the time of his selection. He is an instrument-rated commercial pilot in single-engine and multi-engine airplanes. Hoburg launched to the International Space Station as Pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on March 2, 2023. After splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida on September 4, 2023, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 completed the agency’s sixth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station. Woody Hoburg has logged 186 days in space over his increment (Expedition 69) for a total of 186 days in space on his first flight. Hoburg conducted 2 EVAs totaling 11 hours, 38 minutes; he now has conducted 2 EVAs in his career for a total of 11 hours, 38 minutes.
Personal
Hoburg was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents, Jim and Peggy Hoburg, live in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. He is an avid rock climber, mountaineer, and pilot.
Education
Graduated from North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pennsylvania. Earned a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. Earned a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley.
Experience
At the time of his selection in June 2017, Hoburg was an assistant professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, where he taught undergraduate courses on Dynamics and Flight Vehicle Engineering. Hoburg’s research focused on efficient methods for design of engineering systems. His group produced the open-source software tool GPkit, which is a Python package for geometric programming. His group’s tools were used to design a five-day endurance UAV for the US Air Force. Prior to MIT, he worked for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Product Development on software for composite manufacturing processes. From 2010-2013, he was a seasonal member of Yosemite Search and Rescue and an Operations Leader for the Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit.
NASA Experience
Hoburg reported for duty in August 2017 and completed two years of training as an Astronaut Candidate. From October 2020 to April 2021, he served as Increment Lead for ISS Expedition 64. Hoburg launched to the International Space Station as Pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on March 2, 2023. After splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida on September 4, 2023, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 completed the agency’s sixth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station. Woody Hoburg has logged 186 days in space over his increment (Expedition 69) for a total of 186 days in space on his first flight. Hoburg conducted 2 EVAs totaling 11 hours, 38 minutes; he now has conducted 2 EVAs in his career for a total of 11 hours, 38 minutes.
Awards/Honors
He is a two-time recipient of the AIAA Aeronautics and Astronautics Teaching Award in recognition of outstanding teaching at MIT. From 2009-2013, he was a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow. Class of 2020 AIAA Associate Fellow.