Mark P. Stucky

Mark P. Stucky is a retired American test pilot and commercial astronaut. He is most notably known for piloting SpaceShipTwo, the Virgin Galactic suborbital spaceplane, to its first spaceflight on December 13, 2018. This flight reached an altitude of 82.7 kilometers (51.4 miles), exceeding the United States' definition of space (50 miles).

Stucky has a long and distinguished career as a test pilot, having served in the United States Marine Corps and later as a civilian pilot for various aerospace companies. He has accumulated thousands of flight hours in over 100 different aircraft types. His expertise includes flight testing, aircraft performance evaluation, and experimental flight operations.

Beyond his work with Virgin Galactic, Stucky has been involved in a variety of aviation and aerospace projects. He is recognized for his contributions to advancing the field of flight and for his dedication to pushing the boundaries of aerospace technology. He has also been an advocate for commercial spaceflight and its potential for future exploration and development.