FRAMINGHAM  - Framingham State University will host NASA Astronaut Bob Hines for a special University-wide event on Friday, Feb. 27th at 12:30 in the McCarthy Center Forum.

Hines has served as a mission specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, having logged a total of 170 days in space during Expedition 67 and 68 aboard the International Space Station. Following his spaceflight, Hines became the Lead for the Commercial Crew Program’s Joint Test Team and the Assistant to the Chief for Commercial Crew. In these roles, Hines is the Technical Authority leading astronaut development and testing of Boeing CST-100 Starliner, the SpaceX Crew Dragon, and any future human-rated spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This includes integration, design and testing with the International Space Station and testing in support of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP). He also continues to support the Artemis program in various capacities such as conducting Manual Piloting tests on Orion and Lunar Payload Development.

Hines graduated from Crestwood High School in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, in 1993. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University (1997). Following graduation from U.S. Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School (TPS) he was awarded a Master of Science in flight test engineering (2008). He went on to complete a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama (2010). He graduated from the USAF Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (2010). Hines also is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (2020).

During his visit to Framingham State, Hines will tour the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning.