PERSONAL DATA: Born March 3, 1949, in Cordova, Alabama, but considers Opelika, Alabama, to be his hometown. Married to the former Suzan Curry of Birmingham, Alabama. They have one daughter. Jim enjoys woodworking, skiing, softball, racquetball, scuba diving, and flying an airplane he built himself. As an undergraduate, he participated on the Auburn University Wrestling Team.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Opelika High School, Opelika, Alabama; received a bachelor of science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University in 1972, and a master of science degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado in 1974.

SPECIAL HONORS: NASA Outstanding Leadership Award (1996); NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1994); NASA Space Flight Medals (1992, 1993, 1995); Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1993); Defense Superior Service Medal (1992); Outstanding Student Award, USN Test Pilot School (1983); William P. Clements, Jr. Award for Excellence in Education as the outstanding Professor at the U.S. Military Academy (1982); Meritorious Service Medal (1982); NASA Summer Faculty Research Fellowship (1980); Commandant's List - Infantry Officer Advanced Course (1979); Army Commendation Medal (1978); Honor Graduate and Leadership Award - Ranger School (1975); Distinguished Graduate - Infantry Officer Basic Course (1974).

EXPERIENCE: Upon graduation from Auburn and commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant, Voss went directly to the University of Colorado to obtain his masters degree under the Army Graduate Fellowship Program. After attending the Infantry Basic Course, Airborne and Ranger schools, he served with the 2nd Battalion 48th Infantry in Germany as a platoon leader, intelligence staff officer, and company commander. On returning to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, then taught for three years in the Department of Mechanics at the U.S. Military Academy. After attending the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and the Armed Forces Staff College, Voss was assigned to the U.S. Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity as a Flight Test Engineer/Research and Development Coordinator. He was involved in several major flight test projects before being detailed to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Voss has been working at the Johnson Space Center since November 1984. In his capacity as a Vehicle Integration Test Engineer, he supported Shuttle and payload testing at the Kennedy Space Center for STS 51-D, 51-F, 61-C and 51-L. He participated in the STS 51-L accident investigation, and supported the resulting reviews dedicated to returning the Space Shuttle safely to flight. Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1987, Voss completed a one year training and evaluation program in August 1988, which qualified him for assignment as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle flights.

He has worked as a flight crew representative in the area of Shuttle safety, as a CAPCOM, providing a communications interface between ground controllers and flight crews during simulations and Shuttle flights, and as the Astronaut Office Training Officer. A veteran of three space flights, Voss has logged over 600 hours in space. He flew as a mission specialist on STS-44 in 1991 and STS-53 in 1992, and was the payload commander on STS-69 in 1995.

On his first mission, Voss served on the crew of STS-44, aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis, which launched the night of November 24, 1991. The primary mission objective was accomplished with the successful deployment of a Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite with an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) rocket booster. In addition, the crew also conducted two Military Man in Space experiments, three radiation monitoring experiments, and numerous medical tests to support longer duration Shuttle flights. The mission was concluded after 110 orbits of the Earth with Atlantis returning to a landing on the lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 1, 1991, after 166 hours in space.

Voss next served on the crew of STS-53 which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 2, 1992. The crew of five deployed the classified Department of Defense payload DOD-1 and also performed several Military Man in Space and NASA experiments. After completing 115 orbits of the Earth in 175 hours, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 9, 1992.

Jim's last flight was as Payload Commander on STS-69 which launched on September 7, 1995. The crew successfully deployed and retrieved a SPARTAN satellite and the Wake Shield Facility. Also on board was the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker payload, and numerous secondary payloads and medical experiments. Jim conducted an EVA (extravehicular activity) lasting 6 hours 46 minutes to test space suit modifications and to evaluate procedures and tools to be used to construct the International Space Station. Endeavour landed at the Kennedy Space Center on September 18, 1995 after 171 orbits of the Earth and 260 hours in space.

Jim served as the back-up crew member for two missions to the Russian Space Station Mir. During this time he lived and trained for 2 years at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.

CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Voss is assigned to Shuttle mission STS-101 which will repair and provision the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for early 2000. He is also assigned to the second crew scheduled to live on board the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for early 2001.