William S. McArthur Status: Retired 7/26/1951 – Nationality: American Type: Government First Flight: 10/18/1993 Last Flight: 10/1/2005 William Surles McArthur Jr. is a retired United States Army colonel and NASA astronaut and a veteran of three Space Shuttle missions and one expedition to the International Space Station via the Russian Soyuz capsule. Launches Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-58 Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 | STS-74 Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 | STS-92 Soyuz-FG | Soyuz TMA-7 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Type: Government Abbreviation: NASA Administration: Administrator: Jim Bridenstine Founded: 1958 Launchers: Space Shuttle | SLS Spacecraft: Orion Country: USA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.