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Edward Michael FINCKE

ISS Flight Engineer,
Soyuz TMA TS Flight Engineer,
Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force,
NASA Astronaut, USA

BIRTH DATA AND PLACE: March 14, 1967, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, but considers Emsworth, Pennsylvania to be his hometown.
His parents, Edward and Alma Fincke, reside in Emsworth, Pennsylvania.

EDUCATION:
In 1985 Fincke graduated from Sewickley Academy, Sewickly, Pennsylvania.
In 1989, being an Air Force ROTC scholarship student, he completed the studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautics and astronautics; as well as in earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences.
In 1990 Fincke received a master of science degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University, and the second master of science degree in physical sciences (planetary geology) from the University of Houston, Clear Lake in 2001.

MARITAL STATUS: married to Renita Saikia, has one child.

ORGANIZATIONS: Geological Society of America (GSA).

SPECIAL HONORS:
Recipient of two United States Air Force Commendation Medals, the Unites States Air Force Achievement Medal and various unit and service awards.
Distinguished graduate from the Unites States Air Force ROTC, Squadron Officer School and Test Pilot School Programs.
Recipient of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School Colonel Ray Jones Award as the top flight test engineer/flight test navigator.

HOBBIES: hiking, flying, travel, Geology, Astronomy, reading and learning new languages (conversant in Japanese and Russian).

EXPERIENCE:
Upon graduation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Robinson attended an exchange program with Moscow Aviation Institute where he studied Cosmonautics. Upon completion of the Stanford University in 1990, Fincke entered the United States Air force where he was assigned to the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. There he served as a space systems engineer and a space test engineer. In 1994, upon completion of the United States Air force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California, Fincke was assigned to the 39th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where he served as a flight test engineer working on a variety of test programs, as well as flying the F-16 and F-15 aircraft. He has over 800 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft types
Fincke was selected as NASA candidate astronaut in April 1996. Having completed two years of training, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Station Operations Branch serving as an International Space Station Spacecraft Communicator (ISS CAPCOM), a member of the Crew Test Support Team in Russia and as the ISS crew procedures team lead.
In July 1999, he was assigned as backup crewmember for the International Space Station Expedition 4 crew.
Presently he is training for a space flight in the ISS-9 prime crew as flight engineer and science officer.

March 2004.
Based on NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center materials (USA).