Prior to joining Orbital, Mr. Walz served at NASA's Washington, DC headquarters as Director for the Advanced Capabilities Division in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. In this role he was responsible for a broad range of activities that included human space flight research, space technology development, space nuclear power and propulsion, the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program, and NASA's physical and life science experiments on the ISS and Space Shuttle.
Before his assignment to NASA headquarters, Mr. Walz had a distinguished career as both a NASA astronaut and as an Air Force officer. Mr. Walz was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 1990 and for the next 12 years gained extensive space flight experience. Mr. Walz flew as a crew member aboard three Space Shuttle missions and served as an ISS crew member in a separate mission, enabling him to log a total of 231 days in space. His experience aboard the Space Shuttle includes serving as a mission specialist on STS-51 in 1993; as the Shuttle's flight engineer on STS-65 in 1994; and as a mission specialist on the STS-79 in 1996. During 2001-2002, he served 196 days in space as Expedition 4 flight engineer aboard the ISS. During the STS-51 mission, Mr. Walz deployed the U.S. Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) and its Orbital-provided Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS) and conducted his first spacewalk. During Expedition 4, Mr. Walz and his U.S. and Russian colleagues performed flight tests of ISS hardware, conducted internal and external maintenance and outfitting tasks, operated the Space Station Robotic Manipulator System, and conducted numerous experiments in a variety of scientific disciplines. Mr. Walz also completed two spacewalks from the ISS totaling almost 12 hours in both Russian and U.S. spacesuits.
Mr. Walz's career in the U.S. Air Force included work as a nuclear scientist and as a flight test engineer with the F-16 Combined Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), CA. Mr. Walz is a graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School. He retired from active duty as a Colonel in 2003.
Mr. Walz earned a B.S. degree in Physics from Kent State University in 1977 and a M.S. degree in Physics from John Carroll University in 1979.
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The company's primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also provides satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to government agencies and laboratories.
SOURCE: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Public and Investor Relations
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
beneski.barron@orbital.com