Douglas Hurley

NASA Astronaut and Winner of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, First SpaceX Crew Dragon Commander, Marine Fighter Pilot & Business Executive
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  • From piloting the last Space Shuttle flight to commanding the first SpaceX crew Dragon mission, he brings unparalleled experience in leadership, adaptability, and team building.
  • With over 30 years in high-stakes aerospace environments, he shares insights on risk management, critical decision-making, and overcoming challenges.
  • His journey from Marine Corps officer to NASA astronaut captivates audiences, highlighting collaboration, resilience, and the future of space exploration.

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COL Hurley received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1988.  He subsequently was designated a Naval Aviator in 1991.  As an F/A-18 fighter pilot, he made three overseas deployments to the Western Pacific. While assigned to VMFA (AW)-225, he attended the United States Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course, the Marine Division Tactics Course (MDTC), and the Aviation Safety Officers Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California. Over his 4 1/2 years with the “Vikings,” he served as the Aviation Safety Officer and the Pilot Training Officer. COL Hurley was then selected to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland in 1997. After graduation, he was assigned to the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (VX-23) as an F/A-18 Project Officer and Test Pilot. At “Strike,” he participated in a variety of flight testing and became the first Marine pilot to fly the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.  As the Operations Officer (COO) of VX-23, COL Hurley oversaw the fly off between the X-32 and X-35 aircraft (the precursor to the F-35), flight test of the X-31, and the early development and flight test of the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

COL Hurley was then selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in July 2000.  Assigned as Pilot on his first spaceflight, STS-127 in 2009, he was also the lead robotics operator as a “rookie” and flew three different robotic arms during the 16-day mission.  Within a year he was again assigned as the Pilot of STS-135.  That flight in 2011 was last shuttle mission to the space station and the 135th and final mission of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program.  In 2015, he was selected along with three other astronauts to the Commercial Crew Cadre and subsequently in July 2018, was chosen to be the Commander the first crewed test flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon. That flight, Demo Mission-2 in 2020, marked the return of crewed launches to American soil following the space shuttle program retirement in 2011 and was the crewed test flight of the Crew Dragon before the spacecraft could be certified for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station.  Upon his arrival at the International Space Station, COL Hurley became a Flight Engineer for Expedition 63.  While at NASA, COL Hurley spent a total of 93 days in space over his three space flights and accumulated well over an unprecedented 100 hours of robotic arm operations supporting nine different spacewalks and multiple module installations onboard the space station and space shuttle.  COL Hurley also became the only NASA astronaut in history to fly the last flight of a space vehicle and the first flight of the next when he flew Crew Dragon’s test flight.  He also has logged over 6,000 mishap-free hours in more than 25 aircraft and spacecraft.   COL Hurley served many roles within the Astronaut Office when not assigned to a spaceflight including Kennedy Operations Support as a “Cape Crusader,” where he was the lead Astronaut Support Personnel (ASP) for shuttle missions STS‐107 and STS‐121.  He was also Astronaut Office Safety Chief, NASA Director of Operations at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, and Assistant Director, New Programs, for the Flight Crew Operations Directorate (FCOD) at Johnson Space Center.  Following the merger of Flight Operations and Mission Operations, he became the Assistant Director for the Commercial Crew Program for the newly formed Flight Operations Directorate (FOD). 

COL Hurley retired from the Marines in August 2012 after 24 years of service and in July 2021, he announced his retirement from NASA after almost 21 years and three spaceflights, including the last shuttle flight and the first flight of Crew Dragon.  He is currently an executive with the Northrop Grumman Corporation, Propulsion Systems, in Utah and serves on the Tulane University School of Engineering Board of Advisors. 

COL Hurley’s numerous awards and honors include the Stephen A. Hazelrigg Memorial Award for best Test Pilot/Engineer Team, Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (VX-23) in 1999. His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and various other service awards. He also received the Tulane University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014.  He was awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and multiple Spaceflight Medals.  COL Hurley graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Tulane University in 1988 and was also the Tulane NROTC Distinguished Graduate that year.  COL Hurley graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School (Class 112) in 1997 and was designated an Engineering Test Pilot.

In 2023, he was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by the Vice President of the United States for bravery in commanding the first test flight of the Crew Dragon and the first flight of a new space vehicle in almost forty years. 

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Speaker Video

Doug Hurley | Return to Space | Official Trailer | Netflix

Doug Hurley | Tulane Class of 2020 Commencement

Douglas Hurley | Mindset: Breaking Barriers

Doug Hurley | SpaceX Astronaut

Doug Hurley | In Their Own Words

Douglas Hurley | Know Your Crew!

Doug Hurley | The Artemis Interviews: Former NASA astronaut

Navigating Leadership: Lessons from Space and the Skies

  • Setting a clear vision is crucial in both space missions and leadership roles
  • Collaborative efforts required for successful missions and how it relates to building effective teams in leadership
  • Strategies for fostering teamwork and leveraging diverse strengths
  • Adaptability is key to overcoming unexpected challenges both in space and in leadership roles 

 

Last to First: The Personal and Professional Story of the Last Shuttle Pilot and First Dragon Commander

  • The end of the 30-year Shuttle era and the emotions associated with it
  • My role as the first Dragon commander and the experience of working with Space X
  • The importance of collaboration between public and private sectors in space exploration and what it means for the future
  • The personal doubt and family sacrifices during an incredibly challenging nine years as an astronaut

 

A Career of Managing Risk: My Thirty-Year Journey in Aerospace

  • Preparation and training mitigate risk in high-stakes environments
  • The importance of calculated risk-taking in achieving ambitious goals
  • Strategies for making critical decisions under pressure
  • How adaptability and flexibility are essential in risk management

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