Michael P. Anderson

Michael P. Anderson (December 25, 1959 ? February 1, 2003) was a Lieutenant Colonel (USAF), a NASA astronaut and the Space Shuttle payload commander of STS-107 (Columbia) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

Special honors

• Distinguished graduate USAF Communication Electronics Officers course
• Recipient of the Armed Forces Communication Electronics Associations Academic Excellence Award 1983
• Received the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training Academic Achievement Award for Class 87-08 Vance AFB
• Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal
• the USAF Meritorious Service Medal
• the USAF Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
• Washington State Highway 904, running through Cheney, Washington, where he graduated from high school, was renamed in his memory.
• Asteroid 51824 Mikeanderson was posthumously named after Anderson.