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Hartsfield was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and his mother, Mrs. Norma Hartsfield, still resides there. He is married to the former Judy Frances Massey of Princeton, North Carolina and has two daughters: Judy Lynn, May 29, 1958; and Keely Warren, May 14, 1959.
Graduated from West End High School, Birmingham, Alabama; received a bachelor of science degree in Physics at Auburn University in 1954; performed graduate work in physics at Duke University and in astronautics at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB; and awarded a master of science degree in engineering science from the University of Tennessee in 1971.
Hartsfield received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) at Auburn University. He entered the U.S. Air Force in 1955, and his assignments have included a tour with the 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bitburg, Germany. He is also a graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was an instructor there prior to his assignment in 1966 to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Program as an astronaut. After cancellation of the MOL Program in June 1969, he was reassigned to NASA.
He has logged over 7,300 hours flying time -- of which over 6,150 hours are in the following jet aircraft: F-86, F-100, F-104, F-105, F-106, T-33, and T-38.
Hartsfield became a NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA (established 1958) is the government agency responsible for the United States of America's space program and long-term general aerospace research. A civilian organization, it conducts (or oversees) re astronaut in September 1969. He was a member of the astronaut support crew for Apollo 16Apollo 16 was the tenth manned mission in the Apollo program and the fifth mission to land on the moon. Crew John Young (4), commander Ken Mattingly (1), command module pilot Charles Duke (1), lunar module pilot Mission Parameters Mass Launch mass: 2,921, and served as a member of the astronaut support crew for the SkylabAlternative meaning: research facility in the South Pole Station America's first space station, the 75 ton Skylab was in Earth orbit from 1973-1979, and visited by crew three times in 1973 and 1974. It was launched May 14, 1973 on an unmanned mission by a 2, 3, and 4 missions.
Hartsfield retired in August 1977 from the United States Air Force with more than 22 years of active service but continues his assignment as a NASA astronaut in a civilian capacity. He was a member of the orbital flight test missions group of the astronaut office and was responsible for supporting the development of the Space Shuttle entry flight control system and its associated interfaces.
Hartsfield served as backup pilot for STS-2Mission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-2 Shuttle: Columbia Launch Pad: 39-A Launch: November 12, 198110:09:59 a. EST Landing: November 14, 19811:23:11 p. PST Duration:2 days, 6 hours,13 minutes, 12 seconds Orbit Altitude: 157 nautical miles Orbit and STS-3Mission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-3 Shuttle: Columbia Launch Pad: 39-A Launch: March 22, 198211:00:00 a. EST Landing: March 30, 19829:04:46 a. MST Duration:8 d 0 h 4 min 46 s Orbit Altitude: 147 nautical miles (272 km) Orbit Inclination: 38., Columbia's second and third orbital flight tests. A three flight veteran, Hartsfield served as pilot on STS-4Mission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-4 Shuttle: Columbia Launch Pad: 39-A Launch: June 27, 198211:00:00 a. EDT Landing: July 4, 19829:09:31 a. PDT Duration:7 days, 1 hour, 9 minutes, 31 seconds. Orbit Altitude: 197 nautical miles (365 km) Orbit in 1982, and was spacecraft commander on STS-41-D in 1984, and STS-61-A in 1985.
Hartsfield was the pilot on STS-4, the fourth and final orbital test flight of the Shuttle Columbia, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on June 27, 1982. He was accompanied by Thomas K. Mattingly (spacecraft commander) on this seven-day mission designed to: further verify ascent and entry phases of shuttle missions; perform continued studies of the effects of long-term thermal extremes on the Orbiter subsystems; and conduct a survey of Orbiter-induced contamination on the orbiter payload bay. Additionally, the crew operated several scientific experiments located in the Orbiter's cabin as well as in the payload bay. These experiments included the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES), designed to investigate the separation of biological materials in a fluid according to their surface electrical charge. The crew is also credited with effecting an in-flight repair which enabled them to activate the first operational "Getaway Special" -- comprised of nine experiments that range from algae and duckweed growth in space to fruit fly and brine shrimp genetic studies. STS-4 completed 112 orbits of the earth before landing on a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on July 4, 1982.
Hartsfield was next spacecraft commander of STS 41-D which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. The crew included Mike Coats (pilot), Judy Resnik, Steve Hawley and Mike Mullane (mission specialists), and Charlie Walker (payload specialist). This was the maiden flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During the six-day mission the crew successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed three satellites, SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C, operated the CFES-III experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, and photography experiments using the IMAX motion picture camera. The crew earned the name "Icebusters" when Hartsfield successfully removed a hazardous ice buildup from the Orbiter using the Remote Manipulator System. STS 41-D completed 96 orbits of the earth before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.
On his third flight, Hartsfield was spacecraft commander of STS 61-A, the West German D-1 Spacelab mission which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 30, 1985. His crew included Steve Nagel (pilot), Jim Buchli , Guy Bluford and Bonnie Dunbar (mission specialists), and Reinhard Furrer, Ernst Messerschmid, and Wubbo Ockels (payload specialists). The seven-day mission was the first with eight crew members, and the first Spacelab science mission planned and controlled by a foreign customer. More than 75 scientific experiments were completed in the areas of physiological sciences, materials processing, biology, and navigation. After completing 111 orbits of the earth, STS 61-A landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 6, 1985.
With the completion of this flight, Hartsfield has logged 483 hours in space.
From 1986-1987 Mr. Hartsfield served as the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. In 1987, he became the Deputy Director for Flight Crew Operations, supervising the activities of the Astronaut Office and the Aircraft Operations Division at the Johnson Space Center.
In 1989, he accepted a temporary assignment in the Office of Space Flight, NASA Headquarters, Washington D.C. There he served as Director of the Technical Integration and Analysis Division reporting directly to the Associate Administrator for Space Flight. In this assignment he was responsible for facilitating the integration of the Space Station and its unique requirements into the Space Shuttle systems. His office also served as a technical forum for resolving technical programmatic issues.
In 1990, Mr. Hartsfield accepted another temporary assignment as the Deputy Manager for Operations, Space Station Projects Office, at the Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama. In that capacity he was responsible for the planning and management of Space Station Operations and Utilization Capability Development and operations activities including budget preparation. Later in that assignment he also acted as the Deputy Manager for the Space Station Projects Office.
In 1991, Mr. Hartsfield accepted the position of the Man-Tended Capability (MTC) Phase Manager, Space Station Freedom Program and Operations (SSFPO), with a duty station at the Johnson Space Center. Reporting directly to the Deputy Director, SSFPO, he represented the Deputy Director in providing appropriate program guidance and direction to the Space Shuttle Program, and across the Space Station Freedom Program for all MTC phase mission unique activities to assure appropriate resolution of issues.
In December 1993, Mr. Hartsfield accepted the position of Manager, International Space Station Independent Assessment. In this capacity he reports directly to the Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance and manages and focuses the oversight activities and assessment of the International Space Station Alpha Program.
In September 1996, the scope of Mr. Hartsfield's work was expanded to include independent assessment of the programs and projects of the Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) Enterprise and he was named Director, HEDS Independent Assurance.