Andrew Feustel

Andrew Jay "Drew" Feustel is an American/Canadian NASA astronaut and geophysicist. Feustel began his career as a geophysicist before being selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in July 2000. He has completed three space flights and served on significant missions, including servicing the Hubble Space Telescope during STS-125 in May 2009. During this mission, Feustel conducted three spacewalks, contributing to the successful repair of the telescope aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. His second spaceflight, STS-134, took place from May 16 to June 1, 2011, making it the penultimate Space Shuttle flight.

On March 21, 2018, Feustel embarked on his third spaceflight as part of Expedition 55/56, where he served as a flight engineer and later became the International Space Station (ISS) commander for Expedition 56. Throughout his astronaut career, Feustel has demonstrated his technical expertise, performing multiple spacewalks and contributing to scientific experiments aboard the ISS. He also served as NASA’s acting Chief Astronaut, leading the organization in the deputy role for two years, commanding the International Space Station during his tenure.

Before joining NASA, Feustel attended Purdue University, earning a BS degree in Solid Earth Sciences in 1989 and an MS degree in Geophysics in 1991. Continuing his pursuit of knowledge, Feustel completed his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, in 1995. Since retiring from NASA, Feustel has focused on delivering keynotes that blend space-tested leadership insights to elevate creativity and innovation within organizations. His speaking topics include Adaptability, Innovation, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, NASA, Resilience, Space, Space Travel, and Storytelling. Through his presentations, Feustel equips teams with practical tools to navigate challenges and foster adaptability in the face of adversity, sharing insights gained from space missions to ignite motivation and foster innovation in teams.