Christopher J. Ferguson, born in Philadelphia on September 1, 1961, is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and former NASA astronaut. He holds degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Drexel University and the Naval Postgraduate School, respectively. Ferguson's military career includes serving as an F-14 Tomcat pilot, completing the TOPGUN program, and accumulating 5,700 flight hours across 30 aircraft types. He joined NASA in 1998, where he was involved in shuttle operations, served as CAPCOM, and commanded several space missions, including STS-115, STS-126, and STS-135—the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Over his career, he has received numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross. Ferguson retired from the Navy in 2010 and NASA in 2011. Courtesy of NASA.