Michael J. McCulley  

Michael J. McCulley graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in metallurgical engineering in 1970. Prior to attending Purdue, McCulley had begun serving on submarines in the U.S. Navy. After completing his Purdue education, McCulley returned to the Navy and continued his service as a naval officer, aviator, and test pilot. Throughout his naval career, he accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours and nearly 400 carrier landings on six aircraft carriers. In 1984, NASA selected McCulley as a pilot for future Space Shuttle missions. He made his debut in October 1989 as part of mission STS-34, during which the Space Shuttle successfully launched the Galileo spacecraft on its journey to explore Jupiter. In 1996, following his NASA tenure, McCulley joined the United Space Alliance, a company established to manage the Space Shuttle program. He was appointed CEO of the United Space Alliance in 2003. In addition to his career achievements, McCulley has been honored for his contributions in various capacities. He served as an Olympic Torch carrier in 1996 and was honored as a Silver Knight of Merit. Additionally, McCulley received a NASA Space Flight Medal, and Purdue recognized him with an Astronaut Engineering Alumnus Award in 1990 and a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1998.