Danny Olivas
NASA Mission Specialist

The University of Houston has a long history of producing out-of-this-world talent. Located only miles from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, 10 current or former astronauts have earned degrees from UH, including NASA Mission Specialist John “Danny” Olivas (M.S. ’93), who is the latest University of Houston alumnus to return from space.

While at UH pursuing his master’s degree full-time at nights, he worked full days at Dow Chemical. In just two years, Olivas received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1993. His affiliation with UH is also a family affair as his wife Marie (M.S. ‘93) is also a proud Cougar. “Both my wife and I feel an affinity to UH and we’re glad for the experiences,” Olivas said. With five young children, ages 4-12, Olivas feels that a future at UH could be in store for any one of them.

Olivas was a crew member on NASA’s June 8th launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, Mission STS-117. The primary objective of the 11-day mission was to add more power capability to the International Space Station. The astronauts not only completed all of the mission’s tasks, but also finalized some additional jobs that will mean a little less work for future spacewalkers.

As part of the STS-117 Mission, NASA’s 21st mission to visit the International Space Station, Olivas traveled some 5.8 million miles in 14 days helping to deliver the second starboard truss segment, the third set of U.S. solar arrays, batteries and associated equipment. The UH alumnus also accomplished the first ever on-orbit EVA repairs to the Space Shuttle Atlantis, accumulating 14 hours and 13 minutes of EVA experience during two spacewalks.

“I look at education as something that made me who I am today,” said Olivas, who also has a B.S. from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. from Rice. “I appreciate UH because it was the road to get me where I am and I feel it is important to always come back.” At halftime of the Cougars’ victory over Colorado State last month, Olivas did just that by presenting the same UH flag that flew with him on the mission to University of Houston Interim President John Rudley.

“I’m just an average guy who did the best I could,” Olivas said. “I want others to always know that they can also feed their passion.”

Cougars in Space:

Active Astronauts:
Nancy Currie (Ph.D. '97)
Akihiko Hoshide (M.S. '97) - International Astronaut
Danny Olivas (M.S. '93)
Rex Walheim (M.S. '89)

Former Astronauts:
Maurizio Cheli (M.S. '94) - International Astronaut
Bonnie Dunbar (Ph.D. '83)
William F. Fisher, M.D. (attended '78-'80)
Bernard Harris, Jr., M.D. (B.S. '78)
Donald Holmquest, M.D. (J.D. '88)
Story Musgrave (M.A. '87)