Duane G. Carey Biography Quotes 30 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Duane Gene Carey was born on April 30, 1957, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Growing up in the Upper Midwest, he developed a sustained interest in aviation and engineering during a period when American space achievements were visible in classrooms and on television. That interest led him to the University of Minnesota, where he studied aerospace engineering. He earned both a Bachelor of Science (1981) and a Master of Science (1982) in aerospace engineering, grounding himself in aerodynamics, propulsion, flight mechanics, and systems engineering. These academic foundations, reinforced by mentors and classmates in a demanding engineering program, prepared him for the dual worlds of high-performance military aviation and human spaceflight.

Military Career
After graduate school, Carey entered active duty with the United States Air Force and became a fighter pilot. He trained to fly front-line aircraft and served in operational units that demanded precision, teamwork, and sound judgment. In the cockpit he accumulated experience in complex air operations, formation flying, aerial refueling, instrument procedures, and tactical employment. He later served in roles that broadened his responsibilities, including instructing other pilots and contributing to evaluations of aircraft systems and procedures. The Air Force environment placed him alongside leaders and peers who shaped his approach to risk management and crew leadership, and it introduced him to the culture of checklists, simulations, and constant debriefing that is central to flight safety. Those habits would become essential when he transitioned to NASA.

NASA Astronaut
Carey was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in the mid-1990s and joined the astronaut corps as a pilot. He trained on Space Shuttle systems, guidance and navigation, rendezvous techniques, robotics, survival, and spaceflight physiology, while maintaining flying proficiency in NASA's T-38 jets. Within the astronaut office he worked with engineers and flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center, contributing to mission planning and procedure development. He trained with fellow astronauts who would later become crewmates and colleagues on orbit and in simulators, including specialists skilled in spacewalking and robotics. This period of intensive preparation culminated in his assignment as pilot of STS-109, a mission dedicated to extending and upgrading the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-109: Hubble Servicing Mission
Launched in March 2002 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-109 was the fourth servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope and one of the most intricate flights of the Shuttle era. Carey served as pilot under mission commander Scott Altman. Their crewmates were mission specialist Nancy Currie, who operated the Shuttle's robotic arm, and spacewalkers John Grunsfeld, Richard Linnehan, James Newman, and Michael Massimino. Together with teams in Mission Control, including flight directors and controllers guiding every timeline step, the crew executed a tightly choreographed sequence of rendezvous, capture, and servicing operations.

Carey's responsibilities included the precision flying required to bring Columbia safely into position with Hubble and to maintain the orbiter's attitude while the telescope was grappled and secured on a workstand in the payload bay. He worked closely with Altman and Currie during arm operations, ensuring that delicate motions stayed within strict limits while the spacewalkers performed upgrades across five extravehicular activities. The crew installed new, more efficient solar arrays and replaced the aging power control unit, a highly complex task that required, for the first time, fully powering down Hubble and then methodically bringing it back to life. They also installed the Advanced Camera for Surveys, which dramatically improved Hubble's imaging capability and enabled many of the iconic astronomical observations that followed. The mission concluded with a reboost and a careful release of the revitalized telescope.

The success of STS-109 was the result of teamwork on multiple fronts: the crew on orbit; engineers, scientists, and managers on the ground; and the broader NASA community that designed the tools, trained the astronauts, and rehearsed contingencies. Carey's role as pilot exemplified the quiet precision on which the mission depended, complementing the visible achievements of the spacewalkers and the dexterity of Currie at the robotic arm.

Service to NASA and the Spaceflight Community
Following his flight, Carey continued to support NASA activities, applying his operational experience to training, safety reviews, and mission planning. The loss of Columbia the following year marked a solemn turning point for the agency. Like many astronauts and engineers who had flown or worked on Shuttle missions, Carey participated in the sustained effort to strengthen procedures, refine training, and share lessons across organizations. His perspective as a Hubble pilot connected him to colleagues such as Scott Altman, John Grunsfeld, and Michael Massimino, who carried forward additional servicing missions later in the decade.

Later Career and Outreach
After leaving active NASA flight status, Carey remained engaged with aviation and education. He spoke frequently to students, teachers, and aviation enthusiasts, emphasizing the value of science and engineering education, the discipline of checklist-driven operations, and the importance of teamwork. At universities and community events, he credited the engineers who built Hubble's instruments and the ground controllers who guided STS-109's complex choreography, underscoring that high-visibility accomplishments in space rest on the work of thousands. He also continued to fly and maintain connections to the pilot community, using those networks to encourage young people to pursue technical careers.

Personal Life and Legacy
Carey's biography reflects a continuum common to many American astronauts of his generation: a Midwestern upbringing; rigorous technical education; demanding service as a military aviator; and a transition to NASA, where the ability to work within a disciplined, collaborative system is paramount. He has often highlighted the influence of teachers and mentors at the University of Minnesota, squadron leaders and instructor pilots who shaped his judgment in the Air Force, and NASA colleagues such as Scott Altman, Nancy Currie, John Grunsfeld, Richard Linnehan, James Newman, and Michael Massimino, whose professionalism during training and on orbit was decisive.

His legacy is anchored in the concrete results of STS-109. The mission prolonged Hubble's operational life and sharpened its vision, enabling a new wave of discoveries about the universe. Those achievements rested on the precision flying and systems knowledge that are the hallmark of Shuttle pilots. Beyond the cockpit, his outreach work has aimed to translate the ethos of aerospace, preparation, accountability, and teamwork, into lessons that resonate with classrooms and communities. In doing so, Duane G. Carey has contributed both to the history of human spaceflight and to the pipeline of future engineers, scientists, and pilots who will carry that history forward.

Our collection contains 30 quotes who is written by Duane, under the main topics: Motivational - Funny - Military & Soldier - Science - Work Ethic.

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