Robb Kulin

Robb Michael Kulin (born December 7, 1983) is an American aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, and former NASA astronaut candidate. He was a member of NASA Astronaut Group 22 but resigned before completing astronaut training.[1][2][3]

Robb Kulin
Born
Robb Michael Kulin

(1983-12-07) December 7, 1983
Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
StatusResigned at NASA, working at Firefly Aerospace
Alma materUniversity of Denver (BS)
University of California, San Diego (MS, PhD)
Space career
Former NASA Astronaut Candidate
Current occupation
Engineer
SelectionNASA Group 22
MissionsNone, resigned before completing initial training

Personal life

Robb Kulin was born and grew up in Anchorage, Alaska.[4]

Education

He studied mechanical engineering as an undergraduate at the University of Denver, earned a master's degree in materials science, and Ph.D. in engineering, both at the University of California, San Diego. For his doctorate studies, he focused on dynamic bone fracture.[4] Prior to starting the doctoral program, Kulin was a Fulbright Fellow for one year at the Politecnico di Milano.

Career

He worked as a commercial fisherman in Chignik, Alaska, and was previously an ice driller in Antarctica on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Taylor Glacier.[5]

At the time of his selection as astronaut candidate in June 2017, Kulin was senior manager for flight reliability at SpaceX, leading the Launch Chief Engineering group in Hawthorne, California, where he had worked since 2011.[1][4][5]

In August 2018, Kulin became the first NASA Astronaut Candidate in fifty years to resign prior to completing the initial training program. He cited "personal reasons" for resigning from the program.[3]

Kulin joined Firefly Aerospace in April 2019 as Director of Engineering for its Alpha small satellite launch vehicle.

References
  1. "Mars rover scientist, SpaceX engineer join NASA astronaut corps". Indian Express. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  2. "Astronaut Candidate Robb Kulin".
  3. Stuckey, Alex (August 27, 2018). "2017 NASA astronaut candidate resigning this month". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  4. KTUU, Kortnie Horazdovsky /. "Alaskan selected as astronaut candidate for NASA". Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  5. Garcia, Mark (2017-06-06). "Astronaut Candidate Robb Kulin". NASA. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
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