Mark L. Polansky Status: Retired 6/2/1956 – Nationality: American Type: Government Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mark Lewis “Roman” Polansky is an American aerospace engineer and research pilot and a former NASA astronaut. Polansky received the nickname “Roman” as a joke, because he shares a last name with director Roman Polanski. He flew on three Space Shuttle missions: STS-98, STS-116, and STS-127.