Tim Kopra
Tim Kopra orbited the Earth, walked in space, and worked on the the International Space Station (ISS).
He served as a flight engineer on Expedition 46 and commander of Expedition 47. He is also a veteran of Expedition 20, where he launched with the STS-127 crew and returned to Earth after a 2-month stay with the crew of STS‑128.
Selected as an astronaut in 2000, the Austin, Texas native was also in the U.S. Army where he served as commander and Operations Officer of the attack helicopter company, Developmental Test Director for the Comanche helicopter program, in addition to attending U.S. Naval Test Pilot School among other duties.
His military career included assignment to the 3rd Armored Division in Hanau, Germany, and deployment to the Middle East in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He completed his tour in Germany as an attack helicopter company commander and an operations officer. Kopra retired from the U.S. Army in November 2010.
His NASA career included nearly 60 days as a flight engineer of Expedition 20 on the ISS, arriving aboard the station aboard space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission and returning to Earth aboard space shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 mission. He participated in the first spacewalk of the STS-127 mission.
Kopra served as commander of the ISS as part of Expedition 46 / 47. During a spacewalk, Kopra’s spacesuit began to leak water into his helmet causing the walk to be cut short. Kopra returned to Earth after 186 days in space.
He has a
- BS from the United States Military Academy, West Point
- MS in Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Master of Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College
- MBA from Columbia University and London Business School, 2013.
His awards and honors include
- An Empire Test Pilot School Award for the Best Developmental Test Thesis, Class 110, U.S. Navy Test Pilot School
- Silver and Bronze Order of Saint Michael, Army Aviation Award
- The Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal
- Two Meritorious Service Medals, an Air Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, and an Army Achievement Medal
- A NASA Space Flight Medal and a NASA Distinguished Service Medal
134: Tim Kopra, part 1: Seeing Earth from Space
Hearing an astronaut talk about space is unparalleled. I imagine anyone and everyone wants to hear about seeing Earth from space and what launch feels like. You have to listen to hear it from a man who experienced it.
Having walked in space twice is a minor part of his achievements. He earned degrees from West Point, the U.S. Army War College, Columbia Business School, and London Business School, on top of his military and NASA careers.
What gets you to space isn’t just fitness and technical skill. It’s knowing that you will succeed no matter what. That you can work with everyone. Like business, leadership, family, and most of life, success reaching space is about people.
Tim talks about integrity, consistency, and followership, which I agree is integral to leading. He talks about finding something bigger than yourself.
Something we covered connecting visiting space with valuing and protecting the environment: Before flying, hot air balloons were unbelievable. Now they’re nothing. Then flying was unbelievable. Now people get annoyed at it. Maybe one day people will get bored with space.
I look at it the other way. If people could find beauty in flying, so can we. If they once found wonder and awe in hot air balloons, so can we. You can find the beauty and wonder of nature everywhere if you know how to look. I try to find it in the basil plants on my windowsill.
The view and practicing it makes me feel every part is worth saving.
I can’t wait to see his gallery show.
Read the transcript.