• Benjamin Alvin Drew

  Astronaut

Profession:

Astronaut

Education

• B.S., Astronautical Engineering, the United States Air Force Academy, 1984
• B.S., Physics, United States Air Force Academy, 1984
• M.S., Aerospace Science, Embry Riddle University, 1995
• M.S., Strategic Studies in Political Science, United States Air Force Academy, 2006

Benjamin Alvin Drew began his career in the United States Air Force Academy, where he trained to become a pilot. He served in several military missions, including: Just Cause, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort. Selected by NASA as a Mission Specialist, Drew flew in mission STS-118 on the Space Shuttle Endeavor in August 2007.

What path did you follow to become an astronaut?

I went to the Air Force Academy, came out of there in 1984, and went off to fly helicopters in the Air Force. I did that for about seven or eight years and saw action in Panama and the Persian Gulf in Desert Storm. I came back and went into test pilot school, learning how to fly jets as a test pilot for the air force for another five or six years. In 2000, I applied to NASA and joined the Astronaut Core. If you want to become an astronaut of course the main thing is to get the education. The big things they look for is science, technology, engineering and math. But even if you have a solid background in education anywhere, you can make that transition.

How do you overcome the difficult obstacles to becoming an astronaut?

If you have a dream that's big, it really takes some courage when the opportunities present themselves to go and take yourself up on that. People say, hey we know you like to fly would you like to try and apply to the Air Force Academy? Well, you could apply and fail. It's scary to go take that on. You bite down hard and you turn in the application. It's the same thing with joining the astronaut core. It's a chance to go out there and fail in front of everybody so you have to sit there and go, how bad do I want to achieve this? The big part is to have the courage to go and pursue that dream when the opportunities are out there. People will see you with a dream or an ambition and there will be no shortage of people who will want to help you get there. They want to get their success through you if they can.

Would you recommend a career as an astronaut?

I'd recommend being an astronaut. If you have a taste for adventure, if you like going out and having new experiences, seeing things that are otherworldly, and having things you can tell your grand kids about someday - it's a great thing to go do.

Interview

If you have a dream that's big, it really takes some courage when the opportunities present themselves to go and take yourself up on it.

Benjamin Alvin Drew
Astronaut

Web Resources

• PBS - Tavis Smiley Interview with Benjamin Alvin Drew
• Washington Post: "Liftoff for D.C. Child with a Dream"
• National Public Radio Audio Interview: "One Astronaut's Personal Journey in Space Program"
• WAMU - The Kojo Nnamdi Show: Audio Interview with Astronaut Alvin Drew
• NBC4 Washington D.C.: "Local Astronaut Prepares for Space"
• WCBS Newsradio 880: Audio Interview with First-Time Astronaut Alvin Drew
• The Catholic Standard: "Shuttle astronaut Col. Drew returns to Gonzaga, where his 'dream began'"
• NASA Pre-flight Interview
• NASA STS-118
• Wikipedia: B. Alvin Drew