Matthew Dominick

Matthew Stuart Dominick (born December 7, 1981; CDR, USN) is a US Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut. He has more than 1,600 hours of flight time in 28 aircraft, 400 carrier-arrested landings, 61 combat missions, and almost 200 flight test carrier landings.

Matthew Dominick
Born	Matthew Stuart Dominick December 7, 1981 Wheat Ridge, Colorado, U.S.
Status	Active
Alma mater	University of San Diego (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
Space career
NASA Astronaut
Current occupation	Naval pilot
Rank	Commander, USN
Selection	NASA Group 22

Early life and education

Matthew Stuart Dominick was born on December 7, 1981 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado to Donald and Rhonda Dominick. He graduated from D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School in Littleton, Colorado. In 2005, he received a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego with minors in physics and mathematics, and was a member of the Navy ROTC and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.[1][2]

Military career

After graduation, Dominick commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at NAS Pensacola, and became a naval aviator in 2007. He attended F/A-18 Super Hornet training at VFA-106 in NAS Oceana, followed by an assignment to VFA-143. Dominick has two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and was selected to attend a co-operative program that allowed him to earn a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.[1]

After he became a test pilot, Dominick was assigned to VX-23. He served as a developmental flight test project officer on numerous programs, including MAGIC CARPET, Joint Precision Approach & Landing Systems, and Infrared Search and Track Pod. He contributed to the development of the X-47B, V-22 Osprey, E-2C Hawkeye, and F-35C Lightning. His last assignment before his astronaut candidate selection was to VFA-115.[1]

His promotion to Navy Commander was approved on June 27, 2019 and made effective September 1, 2020.[3]

NASA career

In June 2017, Dominick was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 22, and began his two-year training. At the time of his selection, Dominick was at sea on the USS Ronald Reagan.[1][4][5]

Personal life

Dominick and his wife, Faith, have two daughters. His parents still live in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.[1]

Awards and honors

Dominick was the 2015 Naval Test Wing Atlantic Test Pilot of the Year and a Member of the 2015 Department of the Navy Test Team of the Year. He has received three Strike/Flight Air Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Society of Flight Test Engineers, and the Tailhook Association.[1]

References

1. Garcia, Mark (February 7, 2018). "Astronaut Candidate Matthew Dominick". NASA. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
2. "Matthew Stuart Dominick". Biographies of U.S. Astronauts. Spacefacts. April 18, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
3. "Active Duty Promotions to the Permanent Grades of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and Chief Warrant Officers in the Line and Staff Corps". U.S. Navy. August 20, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
4. Harwood, William (June 7, 2017). "NASA introduces 12 new astronauts". CBS News. CBS Broadcasting. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
5. Dobrin, Isabel (June 8, 2017). ""It's incredibly humbling": Two NASA astronaut candidates with local ties are over the moon". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved September 17, 2018.