James Donald Halsell, Jr., (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) 
 
 NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER) 
 
 PERSONAL DATA: Born September 29, 1956, in West Monroe, Louisiana, where his parents, Don and Jean Halsell, reside. Married to the former Kathy D. Spooner of Merritt Island, Florida, where her parents, Charles and Lynn Spooner, reside. They have a son and a daughter. He enjoys snow skiing, water skiing and light aircraft flying. 
 
 EDUCATION: Graduated from West Monroe High School, West Monroe, Louisiana, in 1974. Received a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy in 1978, a master of science degree in management from Troy University in 1983, and a master of science degree in space operations from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1985. 
 
 SPECIAL HONORS: Graduated first in his test pilot school class and awarded the Liethen/Tittle Trophy (1986). Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross (1998), the NASA Space Flight Medal (1994, 1995, 1997, 2000), the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (2001), and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2002, 2004). 
 
 AIR FORCE EXPERIENCE: Halsell graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978, and from Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, in 1979. An F-4 pilot qualified in conventional and nuclear weapons deliveries, he served at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada, from 1980-1981, and Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Georgia, from 1982-1984. In 1984-1985, he was a graduate student at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. He then attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and during the next four years he performed test flights in the F-4, the F-16, and the SR-71 aircraft. Halsell retired from the Air Force in July 2004. 
 
 NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1990, Halsell became an astronaut in July 1991. A five flight veteran, Halsell has logged over 1,250 hours in space. He was the pilot on STS-65 (July 8-23, 1994) and STS-74 (November 12-20, 1995), and commanded STS-83 (Apr 4-8, 1997), STS-94 (July 1-17, 1997) and STS-101 (May 19-29, 2000). From February-August 1998, he served as NASA Director of Operations at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia. Halsell also served as Manager, Shuttle Launch Integration, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, from July 2000-January 2003. Following the Columbia accident, Halsell led NASA’s Space Shuttle Return-to-Flight Planning Team. He then served as the Assistant Director for Aircraft Operations, Flight Crew Operations Directorate. Halsell retired from NASA in November 2006 to accept a position with ATK Launch Systems, Utah. 
 
 ADDITIONAL MISSION DETAILS: STS-65 flew the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2). During the 15-day flight the crew conducted more than 80 experiments focusing on materials and life sciences research in microgravity. The mission was accomplished in 236 orbits of the Earth, traveling 6.1 million miles in 353 hours and 55 minutes. 
 
 STS-74 was NASA's second Space Shuttle mission to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. During the 8-day flight the Atlantis crew successfully attached a permanent docking module to Mir and transferred over 2,000 pounds of food, water and scientific supplies for use by the cosmonauts. The STS-74 mission was accomplished in 129 orbits of the Earth, traveling 3.4 million miles in 196 hours, 30 minutes, 44 seconds. 
 
 STS-83, the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) Spacelab mission, was cut short because of problems with one of the Shuttle's three fuel cell power generation units. Mission duration was 95 hours and 12 minutes, traveling 1.5 million miles in 63 orbits of the Earth. 
 
 STS-94, a re-flight of the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) Spacelab mission, focused on materials and combustion science research in microgravity. Mission duration was 376 hours and 45 minutes, traveling 6.3 million miles in 251 orbits of the Earth. 
 
 STS-101 was the third Shuttle mission devoted to International Space Station (ISS) construction. Objectives included transporting and installing over 5,000 pounds of equipment and supplies, and conducting a space walk. The mission was accomplished in 155 orbits of the Earth, traveling 4.1 million miles in 236 hours and 9 minutes. 
 
 NOVEMBER 2006 ||||| Two sisters were killed early today, and their parents injured, in what authorities said appears to possibly be a DUI-related crash. 
 
 Alabama State Troopers identified the fatality victims as Niomi Deona James, 11, and Jayla Latrice Parler, 13. The driver of the vehicle that struck them has been charged with murder. 
 
 The accident happened at 2:50 a.m. on U.S. 82 near the 65 mile marker, 10 miles east of Tuscaloosa, said Senior Trooper Reginal King. 
 
 Niomi and Jayla, both of Brent, were passengers in a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The Fiesta was struck by a 2015 Chrysler 300 driven by 59-year-old James Halsell Jr. of Huntsville. 
 
 UPDATE: Retired NASA astronaut charged with murder in DUI crash that killed 2 young sisters 
 
 King said neither of the girls were wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the vehicle. Niomi was pronounced dead on the scene. Jayla was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center where she was also pronounced dead. 
 
 The driver of the Ford, 37-year-old Pernell Deon James and another passenger, 25-year-old Shontel Latriva Cutts, were also taken to the hospital for their injuries. Authorities said James was the father of both girls, who were half sisters. 
 
 King said Halsell was arrested and charged with murder after the preliminary investigation showed that alcohol and speed may have been factors in the crash. King said Halsell is in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. 
 
 The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available. ||||| The Columbia’s 28th space mission, designated STS-107, was originally scheduled to launch on January 11, 2001, but was delayed numerous times for a variety of reasons over nearly two years. Columbia finally launched on January 16, 2003, with a crew of seven. 
 
 Eighty seconds into the launch, a piece of foam insulation broke off from the shuttle’s propellant tank and hit the edge of the shuttle’s left wing. 
 
 Did You Know? During the 30-year space shuttle program, 355 astronauts traveled aboard the shuttle. The program’s five shuttles (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour) flew more than 542 million miles. 
 
 Cameras focused on the launch sequence revealed the foam collision but engineers could not pinpoint the location and extent of the damage. 
 
 Although similar incidents had occurred on three prior shuttle launches without causing critical damage, some engineers at the space agency believed that damage to a wing could cause a catastrophic failure. 
 
 Their concerns were not addressed in the two weeks that Columbia spent in orbit because NASA management believed that even if major damage had been caused, there was little that could be done to remedy the situation. ||||| FILE -In this Thursday, April 6, 2000 file photo, Space shuttle Atlantis mission commander James Halsell Jr. speaks to reporters at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla, about a problem with... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE -In this Thursday, April 6, 2000 file photo, Space shuttle Atlantis mission commander James Halsell Jr. speaks to reporters at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla, about a problem with... (Associated Press) 
 
 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The Latest on the arrest of a former NASA astronaut following a wreck that killed two people (all times local): 
 
 11:30 a.m. 
 
 Two people injured in a wreck in which a former astronaut is charged with murder remain hospitalized in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 
 
 A spokesman at DCH Regional Medical Center, Brad Fisher, says 37-year-old Pernell James is listed in good condition and will be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. 
 
 A woman who was injured in the wreck is in worse shape. Fisher says 25-year-old Shontel Latriva Cutts is listed in fair condition. 
 
 The two Brent residents were hurt in a wreck that killed 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler early Monday. The relationship between the four isn't clear. 
 
 Former astronaut James Halsell Jr. of Huntsville is free on bond after being charged with murder in the crash. Halsell flew on the space shuttle during five missions and helped lead NASA's return to flight program after the shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. 
 
 10:10 a.m. 
 
 A former astronaut is free on bond after being charged with murder in a wreck that killed two girls in Alabama. 
 
 A spokesman for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Lt. Andy Norris, says 59-year-old James Halsell Jr. of Huntsville is free on $150,000 bond. 
 
 Norris says Halsell was released about 6:30 p.m. Monday, nearly 16 hours after the crash that killed 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler of Brent earlier that day. 
 
 State troopers say the children died in a two-car crash, and a preliminary investigation indicates alcohol and speed may have been factors. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:12 a.m. 
 
 A former astronaut who flew five missions and helped lead NASA back into space after the space shuttle Columbia disaster is charged with murder after an early morning wreck that killed two girls in Alabama, state troopers said. 
 
 James Halsell Jr., 59, of Huntsville was arrested after a crash killed 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler of Brent early Monday, said a statement from Reginal King, a spokesman for Alabama state troopers. 
 
 Troopers said a Chrysler 300 driven by Halsell collided with a Ford Fiesta in which the girls were passengers. Both victims were ejected from the vehicle and died. 
 
 Two adults who were in the car suffered injuries and were hospitalized. 
 
 A preliminary investigation indicated alcohol and speed may have been factors in the crash, said the statement by King. The wreck happened at 2:50 a.m. on U.S. 82, a rural highway east of Tuscaloosa. 
 
 Court records weren't available Tuesday to show whether Halsell, a retired Air Force colonel, has a lawyer. A message left at a home telephone number wasn't immediately returned. 
 
 An online biography by NASA said Halsell went to work in the aerospace industry in 2006 after a career that included five shuttle flights starting in July 1994. 
 
 Selected as an astronaut in 1990, Halsell spent more than 1,250 hours in space. The Louisiana native and one-time test pilot commanded three shuttle flights and served as pilot on two others, according to the space agency. 
 
 Halsell led NASA's return-to-flight planning team for the space shuttle after Columbia disintegrated during re-entry in 2003. 
 
 Following his retirement from NASA a decade ago, Halsell worked for ATK Launch Systems, Utah, according to his NASA biography.
– A retired NASA astronaut who flew on five space shuttle missions has been charged with murder after an early-morning car crash in Alabama took the lives of two young half-sisters, per AL.com. A 2015 Chrysler allegedly being driven by James Halsell Jr., 59, smashed into a Ford Fiesta at around 2:50am Monday just east of Tuscaloosa; 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrice Parler, neither of whom was wearing a seatbelt, were ejected from the vehicle, police say. Niomi died at the scene of the accident, while Jayla died later at a local hospital. The driver of the Fiesta, 37-year-old Pernell Deon James (officials say he's the girls' dad), and another passenger, 25-year-old Shontel Latriva Cutts, were also injured in the wreck. The AP notes that James was said to be in good condition and ready for release Tuesday from a Tuscaloosa hospital, while Cutts remains in fair condition. Meanwhile, state troopers say an initial examination of the crash suggests speed and alcohol may have both been factors. Halsell has been charged with murder, and a spokesman for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office says he was released on $150,000 bond Monday evening. Per his NASA bio page, Halsell's stint with NASA started in 1990 and notched him more than 1,250 hours in space, including as the pilot on two space shuttle trips and commander on three others. After the 2003 Columbia disaster that killed all seven crew members, Halsell was the leader of the space shuttle program's "return-to-flight" planning initiative. He retired from the space agency in 2006.