Biography

Smith L. Johnston, III

NASA Johnson Space Center

Smith Johnston, from Woodstock, Georgia, received a Bachelor of Science in biology in 1976 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1981 from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.  From 1984 to 1990, Dr. Johnston completed residencies in Internal and Aerospace Medicine from Wright State University, as well as a Master’s of Science in Aerospace and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Johnston has spent most of his career as a Medical Officer and Operational Flight Surgeon for NASA Medical Operations Branch at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Over the past 30 years he has supported the medical care of the active Astronaut Corps, their families, and the retired Astronauts. He has been the lead physician for the International Space Station (ISS) Emergency Medical System and Crew Return Vehicle development and has supported two Expedition ISS missions and over 25 Shuttle missions.  Before retiring from NASA in 2019 he served as the Medical Director of NASA-JSC Aerospace and Occupational Medicine Clinics, and was the lead of NASA’s Astronaut Medical Selection and Retention Standards, and the Fatigue Management and Human Health, Performance, and Longevity Programs. Dr. Johnston then became Chief Medical Officer for Axiom Space, Inc. and held that position until last year. 

Dr. Johnston received his Board Certification in Aerospace Medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine in 2000 and 2010, and is an Emeritus Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association.  Dr. Johnston’s expertise centers on taking the innovations discovered by the US and International Space Programs to benefit, not only the lives of the Astronauts and Cosmonauts, but also his Earth-bound patients.  He gives educational presentations on Space Medicine, and its Terrestrial Applications for Human Health, Performance, and Longevity all over the World and has been featured in various media including NOVA, Discovery Channel, Scientific America, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Houston Chronicle, Consumer Reports, USA Today, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and numerous podcasts.