- Dr. Gernhardt was one of two astronauts to perform a spacewalk to evaluate future Space Station tools and hardware, logging 6 hours and 46 minutes of EVA. Mission duration was 260 hours, 29 minutes, and 8 seconds, traveling 4.5 million miles in 171 orbits of the Earth.
- Dr. Gernhardt is a NASA astronaut and the Manager of Environmental Physiology Laboratory and Principle Investigator of Prebreath Reduction Program at the Johnson Space Center.
- His professional honors include 4 NASA Space Flight Medals; 2 Exceptional Service Medals; 1 Exceptional Achievement Medal and 1 Distinguished Service Medal.
- He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Vanderbilt University in 1978, a Master of Science degree from University of Pennsylvania, in 1983, and a Doctorate in Bioengineering from University of Pennsylvania, in 1991.
- From 1977 to 1984, Gernhardt worked as a professional deep sea diver and project engineer on a variety of sub-sea oil-field construction and repair projects around the world. He logged over 700 deep sea dives and gathered experience in air, mixed gas, bounce bell and saturation diving.
- From 1984 to 1988, Gernhardt worked as Manager and then Vice President of Special Projects for Oceaneering International. During these times, he led the development of a tele-robotic system for sub-sea platform cleaning and inspection as well as a variety of new diver and robot tools.
- Has said in an interview that all his deep-sea diving experience helped him to become an astronaut: both jobs require you to think ahead, plan, and get used to unusual atmospheres.
- Dr. Gernhardt was selected by NASA in March of 1992. His many projects there included improving the safety and efficiency of space walks from the International Space Station.
- A four flight veteran, Dr. Gernhardt has logged over 43 days in space, including 4 spacewalks totaling 23 hours and 16 minutes. He was a mission specialist on (Space Transportation System) STS-69 in 1995, STS-83 in 1997, STS-94 in 1997 and STS-104 in 2001. Additionally he was crew member on the NASA Extreme Enviroment Mission Operations One and Commander of the successive eight multi-day underwater missions.
- His background expertise helped to serve as a submersible pilot on the Pavilion Lake Expedition, which focused on exploring a deep water lake in western Canada, where unusual life forms (called microbiolites) were discovered.
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