Astronaut Mark Vande Hei is a retired United States Army officer and NASA astronaut. He was born on March 10, 1966, in Falls Church, Virginia. Vande Hei earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Saint Louis University and a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics from Columbia University. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2000 and has completed multiple missions to the International Space Station (ISS). During his time in space, Vande Hei has conducted numerous scientific experiments and participated in spacewalks. He holds the record for the longest continuous stay in space by an American, spending 355 days aboard the ISS from April 2021 to March 2022. His contributions to space exploration have advanced our understanding of living and working in microgravity.