Recognizing Captain Christopher J. Ferguson, United States Navy, for his service, courage and heroism as a Navy pilot and NASA Astronaut.

WHEREAS, Captain Christopher J. Ferguson graduated from Archbishop Ryan High School in 1979 and Drexel University in 1984 and received a master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1991; and

WHEREAS, Captain Ferguson was commissioned from the NROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, He served with distinction on the following assignments: The Red Rippers of VF-11 deploying to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean on board the USS Forrestal (CV-59); Weapons Branch of the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where he served as project officer for the RF-14D weapon separation program, becoming the first to release several types of air-to-ground weapons from the Tomcat; instructor at the Naval Test Pilot School; the Checkmates of VF-211 completing a deployment in the Western Pacific/Persian Gulf in defense of the Iraqi no-fly zone based on the USS Nimitz (CVN-68); and F-14 logistics officer for the Atlantic Fleet; and

WHEREAS, Captain Ferguson was selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in June 1998 and assigned to the Johnson Space Center in August 1998 and following two years of training and evaluation, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Spacecraft Systems/Operations Branch involving the Shuttle Main Engine, External Tank, Solid Rocket Boosters and Shuttle Software; and

WHEREAS, From September 9 to 21, 2006, Captain Ferguson served as pilot on STS-115 Atlantis, which successfully restarted the assembly of the International Space Station. During this 12 day mission the crew delivered and installed the massive P3/P4 truss segment and two sets of solar arrays that will eventually provide one quarter of the station's power. The crew performed over 30 hours of robotic work using the Shuttle's robotic arm and four members of the crew made three spacewalks to complete the truss installation; and

WHEREAS, Captain Ferguson has been honored with the Navy Strike/Flight Air Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we recognize Captain Christopher J. Ferguson, USN for his service, courage and heroism as a Navy pilot and NASA Astronaut.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution is presented to Captain Christopher J. Ferguson, USN as an expression of recognition, gratitude and sincere appreciation of the legislative body.

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