Stephen Bowen (astronaut)
A veteran NASA astronaut and former Navy submariner, he has logged multiple missions to the International Space Station aboard both the Space Shuttle and SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American astronaut·Birthday: February 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Stephen Bowen carries the unique distinction of being one of the few people to have worked in the ocean's depths and Earth's orbit. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served as a submarine officer, commanding the USS Augusta before being selected by NASA in 2000. His engineering mind and calm demeanor made him an ideal astronaut for complex assembly missions to the International Space Station. Bowen flew on three consecutive Space Shuttle flights—STS-126, STS-132, and STS-133—the last being the final voyage of Space Shuttle Discovery. Over a decade later, he returned to space on SpaceX's Crew-6 mission, demonstrating remarkable longevity in an evolving space program. With multiple spacewalks to his credit, he has helped maintain and upgrade the orbiting laboratory, embodying the quiet professionalism of NASA's engineer-astronauts. His career bridges the era of government-run shuttle missions and the new age of commercial crew spacecraft.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Stephen was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Stephen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Stephen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first astronaut to launch on four consecutive spaceflight missions.
- Was a mission specialist on STS-133, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
- Flew to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Crew-6 mission in 2023, decades after his first selection.
- Conducted multiple spacewalks (EVAs) totaling over 40 hours for station assembly and maintenance.
Did You Know?
He is the first submariner in the U.S. Navy to become a NASA astronaut.
He was born in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and is an avid Boston sports fan.
He holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Academy and a degree in ocean engineering from MIT.
His first spacewalk was on the STS-126 mission in 2008.
“The view from the cupola makes every complex procedure worth the decade of training.”
