Terry W. Virts (born December 1, 1967) is a retired NASA astronaut,[1] International Space Station Commander and colonel in the United States Air Force.

[1] Virts' contributions extended to the Space Launch System (SLS) program, where he served as the lead astronaut, playing an instrumental role in the development and advancement of this vital component of NASA's future missions.

On November 23, 2014, he launched aboard Soyuz TMA-15M alongside fellow astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

[6] In a unique moment during his time in space, on February 28, 2015, Virts paid tribute to the late Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed Spock.

He tweeted an image of himself from the International Space Station, striking the Vulcan salute—a gesture associated with Spock[7]—as the ISS flew over Boston, MA, Nimoy's birthplace.

[8][9] With the impending departure of Soyuz TMA-14M in March 2015, Terry Virts assumed the role of the commander of the International Space Station, leading Expedition 43.

The accomplishment earned recognition from Guinness World Records and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI),[15] solidifying Virts' legacy in the annals of aviation history.

He earned his academic credentials with distinction from institutions including the United States Air Force Academy and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

The European Space Agency commissioned Lego mini-figures to honor the crew members of Expedition 42, including Terry Virts,[17] Samantha Cristoforetti, and Anton Shkaplerov.