Photo: NASA / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
David M. Brown, born on April 16, 1956 in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, was a military officer, astronaut and physician. David M. Brown died on February 1, 2003, aged 46. Schooling on record includes Yorktown High School and College of William & Mary. Listed accolades include Congressional Space Medal of Honor (2004), NASA Distinguished Service Medal (2003), Defense Distinguished Service Medal and 5 more.
My Take
David M. Brown's resume genuinely stops me cold: Navy captain, physician, astronaut — and once a circus performer. That range speaks to a relentless, curious kind of courage. His first and only spaceflight ended in the 2003 Columbia disaster during reentry, a loss that still lands heavily. The posthumous Congressional Space Medal of Honor only underscores what was sacrificed at the very summit of a dream. I find his story a sober reminder of the human cost behind exploration, and of how much we owe to people willing to climb that high knowing the risk.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- David M. Brown
- Name (Japanese)
- デイビッド・ブラウン
- Reading
- でいびっど・ぶらうん
- Born
- April 16, 1956 – February 1, 2003
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Monkey
- Origin
- Arlington County, Virginia, United States
- Occupation
- military officer / astronaut / physician / circus performer
2. Background
- High school
- Yorktown High School
- University
- College of William & Mary
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- 2003 NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
- NASA Space Flight Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%20M.%20Brown
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%87%E3%82%A4%E3%83%93%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%83%BB%E3%83%96%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3%20(%E5%AE%87%E5%AE%99%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E5%A3%AB)
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q350317
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was David M. Brown born?
Born April 16, 1956.
When did David M. Brown die?
Died February 1, 2003, aged 46.
Where was David M. Brown from?
David M. Brown was from Arlington County, Virginia, United States.
What did David M. Brown do?
David M. Brown worked as military officer, astronaut, physician, circus performer.
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