Description: (Astronaut)
Vance D. Brand is a highly accomplished retired American naval officer, aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. He has accumulated 9,669 hours of flight experience across various aircraft types, such as jets, helicopters, and spacecraft. Notably, Brand served as command module pilot during the first U.S.-Soviet joint spaceflight in 1975 and commanded three Space Shuttle missions. Throughout his career, he demonstrated exceptional skills as a test pilot and proficiency in flying over 30 types of military aircraft.