Carl Walz is a retired NASA astronaut and a veteran of four spaceflights. He was born on September 1, 1955, in Canton, Ohio. Walz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Science degree in the same field from George Washington University. During his career, Walz participated in significant missions, including the International Space Station assembly. He holds the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by an American, spending 196 days in space during the Expedition 4 mission. Walz has contributed to various scientific experiments and advancements in space exploration.