Steve Chappell

Steven Patrick Chappell (born 1969/1970) is an American aerospace engineer. He is a Technical Lead & Research Specialist for Wyle Integrated Science & Engineering at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. He is helping to define and execute the research needed to optimize human performance in next-generation spacesuits and extra-vehicular activity (EVA) systems. Chappell served as an aquanaut on the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 14 (NEEMO 14) crew. After graduating, he used his newly gained expertise to help design and develop aircraft and missile simulations to assist pilots with real-time combat decision making, but still had a strong desire to be a part of human spaceflight. This drove Chappell to move to Colorado to further his education and be closer to the mountains to develop his growing passion for rock climbing and mountaineering. While he was performing his graduate research, he worked as one of the lead systems engineers developing and launching a satellite to study cloud formation in the upper atmosphere. Also during this time, his passion for rescue led him to become the operational leader of his mountain rescue team. He has taken part in more than 350 rescue missions and also climbed many high peaks in Colorado and on international expeditions. Along the way, he attained multiple SCUBA certifications and made dives in exotic locations around the world. Prior to the mission, Chappell was quoted as saying that he "is looking forward to working as a team with the other crewmembers during NEEMO 14 to help NASA take the next steps to push forward the frontier of space exploration." Chappell also enjoys running, canyoneering, reading, and painting. During the NEEMO 16 mission in June 2012, Chappell served as the technical director for the near-Earth asteroid exploration EVA objectives, as an In-Water Test Director, and piloted a DeepWorker submersible.

Memberships and honors In addition to Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Chappell's memberships include the International Council on Systems Engineering, the Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments, the Mountain Rescue Association, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). His honors include the NASA Silver Snoopy Award (2011), the AIAA Foundation Graduate Award for "Planetary EVA Operations – Research & Design" (2006), and awards from Wyle Integrated Science & Engineering, Rocky Mountain Rescue, and Lockheed Martin.