[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2321-2322]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING CAPTAIN ROBERT L. CURBEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 24, 2007

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor 
Robert L. Curbeam, Captain, United States Navy and National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration Astronaut. Over the years, Captain Curbeam has 
served his country to the best of his ability and deserves recognition 
for his leadership and accomplishments.
  Captain Curbeam was raised in Turner's Station, and graduated from 
Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 1980. He 
received his bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from 
the United States Naval Academy in 1984. He received

[[Page 2322]]

his master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval 
Postgraduate School in 1990 and a degree of aeronautical and 
astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991. 
He is currently a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association 
and the Association of Old Crows. Captain Curbeam's numerous awards 
include Fighter Wing One Radar Intercept Officer of the Year for 1989 
and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Best Developmental Thesis Award.
  Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, Captain Curbeam 
commenced Naval Flight Officer training in 1984. In 1986 he reported to 
Fighter Squadron 11 and made overseas deployments to the Mediterranean 
and Caribbean Seas, and the Arctic and Indian Oceans on board the USS 
Forrestal. During his tour with Fighter Squadron 11, he also attended 
Navy Fighter Weapons School. Upon completion of Test Pilot School in 
December 1991, he reported to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate 
where he was the project officer for the F-14A/B Air-to-Ground Weapons 
Separation Program. In August 1994, he returned to the U.S. Naval 
Academy as an instructor in the Weapons and Systems Engineering 
Department.
  Selected to be an astronaut by NASA in December 1994, Curbeam 
reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. After completing a 
year of training and evaluation, he was assigned to the Computer 
Support Branch in the Astronaut Office. A veteran of two space flights, 
STS-85 in 1997 and STS-98 in 2001, Curbeam logged over 593 hours in 
space, including over 19 EVA hours during three spacewalks. Curbeam 
served as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) responsible for relaying 
all voice communication between Mission Control and crews aboard the 
Space Shuttle and International Space Station. During the spring of 
2002, he served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety and 
Mission Assurance, at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Currently, 
Curbeam serves as the Safety Branch Chief for the Astronaut Office.
  Captain Curbeam was named to NASA's most recent mission STS-116 in 
2003. The mission launched on December 9, 2006. During Space Shuttle 
Discovery's 13-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-
116 crew continued construction of the station during the first of four 
spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station's power system, 
preparing it to support the station's final configuration and the 
arrival of additional science modules. A fourth spacewalk was added to 
allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly.
  As the only STS-116 crew member to participate in all four 
spacewalks, Captain Curbeam set a Space Shuttle Program record for the 
most spacewalks performed by one astronaut during a single mission.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to honor CAPT Robert 
L. Curbeam. He is a remarkable leader and has served the citizens of 
Maryland and the United States exceptionally throughout his career.

                          ____________________