Terry Virts

Terry Virts
Official portrait, 2014
Born
Terry Wayne Virts Jr.

(1967-12-01) December 1, 1967
EducationUnited States Air Force Academy (BS)
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (MS)
Political partyDemocratic
Space career
NASA astronaut
RankColonel, USAF
Time in space
213d 10h 48m
SelectionNASA Group 18 (2000)
Total EVAs
3
Total EVA time
19h 2m
MissionsSTS-130
Soyuz TMA-15M (Expedition 42/43)
Mission insignia
RetirementAugust 2016
WebsiteCampaign website
Personal website

Terry Wayne Virts Jr. (born December 1, 1967) is a retired NASA astronaut, International Space Station commander, and colonel in the United States Air Force. Virts is a member of the Democratic Party. He was a candidate in the 2026 United States Senate election in Texas and later ran for Texas's 9th congressional district, but withdrew from the former and was eliminated in the primary for the latter.