Captain Mike Baker significantly enhanced space shuttle safety systems and led key NASA operations in both the U.S. and Russia, marking a distinguished career with four spaceflights and nearly 1,000 hours in space.

Captain Mike Baker, a distinguished astronaut, joined NASA in 1985 and became an astronaut in 1986. Following the Challenger accident, he played a pivotal role in enhancing Shuttle Landing and Deceleration Systems to ensure safer landings. His work at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory was crucial for the success of the return-to-flight mission, STS-26.

As a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for numerous missions, Baker facilitated communication between the Shuttle crew and ground control. Later, he also led the Astronaut Support Personnel team for several Shuttle missions and represented the Flight Crew Operations Directorate to the Space Shuttle Program Office.

In 1995, Baker became the Director of Operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, coordinating mission operations for the Shuttle/Mir program. Later, as Assistant Director of Johnson Space Center for Human Space Flight Programs in Russia, he managed NASA’s human spaceflight activities, including ISS training and operations.

A veteran of four space flights, Baker logged 965 hours in space, serving as pilot and mission commander on various missions. His contributions to space exploration are marked by dedication and excellence, culminating in his retirement from NASA in January 2017.