Don Pettit

Mike Matzinger

Donald Roy Pettit (born April 20, 1955), an Eagle Scout from Silverton, Oregon, is a NASA astronaut, chemical engineer, inventor, and lifelong explorer whose path to space began long before he ever wore a flight suit — it began in Scouting. The problem-solving skills, curiosity, and adventurous spirit he developed in Troop meetings and on outdoor treks would serve him throughout his life, from academic success to engineering ingenuity in orbit.

In September 2024, at age 69, Pettit launched aboard Soyuz MS-26 as a flight engineer for Expedition 71/72 to the International Space Station, becoming the oldest Eagle Scout astronaut to fly into space and NASA’s oldest active-duty astronaut. This was his fourth mission, adding 220 days to the 370 days he had already spent in orbit. He returned on April 20, 2025 — his 70th birthday — marking 590 total days in space and making him the third-oldest human ever to reach orbit, behind John Glenn and Larry Connor.

Pettit’s NASA career, which began in 1996, has been defined by both science and creativity.

• Expedition 6 (2002–2003): Just weeks before launch, Pettit replaced a grounded crewmate and flew to the ISS on STS-113. He performed two spacewalks, improvised “Saturday Morning Science” microgravity demonstrations, and famously built a barn-door tracker from spare station parts to capture high-resolution nighttime photographs of Earth.
• STS-126 (2008): He experimented on how particles clump together in microgravity — research relevant to planetary formation.
• Expedition 30/31 (2011–2012): Pettit captured and berthed the first SpaceX Dragon capsule to the ISS, becoming the first astronaut to enter a commercially-built spacecraft in orbit. He also collaborated on NASA’s educational “Angry Birds Space” physics video.

His inventive streak produced one of NASA’s most famous microgravity creations — the Zero-G Coffee Cup, designed in 2008 from a repurposed plastic sheet to use surface tension instead of gravity to sip coffee in space. The design earned the first-ever patent for an object invented in orbit.

Beyond science, Pettit is renowned for his astrophotography. His star trail compositions, including the viral Lightning Bugs, have inspired millions and showcased the beauty of Earth from 250 miles above.

Pettit’s Scouting background is woven throughout his career: the adaptability to work with limited tools, the creativity to solve problems under pressure, and the drive to explore the unknown. From earning merit badges in Oregon’s outdoors to conducting advanced research in the microgravity of space, Pettit has shown how the principles of preparedness, perseverance, and curiosity can carry a Scout’s spirit all the way into orbit.

Today, he continues to inspire Scouts, scientists, and dreamers alike — proving that age is no barrier to exploration when fueled by curiosity, creativity, and the lifelong lessons of Scouting.