Ken Bowersox is a retired NASA astronaut and a veteran of five spaceflights. He was born on November 14, 1956, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Bowersox earned a degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy and later received a master's degree in the same field from U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. During his career, Bowersox served as a pilot and commander on various missions, including the Space Shuttle program and the International Space Station. He has logged over 5,000 hours of flight time and contributed to significant advancements in space exploration.