The science of aerodynamics controls the flight of an aircraft or a bird. It also controls how fast a sail can move a boat through the water. Learn about sailing science. Join US sailing Olympian Mark Reynolds and NASA wind tunnel expert Dr. Jim Ross for a web chat!

Mark and crew member Magnus Liljedahl will represent the United States in the Star class sailing event from September 23rd to the 30th (with reserve days on the 24th and 29th). Mark is the first American to helm at 4 Olympics. You can check the whole schedule.

Mark Reynolds is from San Diego, California where his lives with his wife and 3 children. Born in San Diego, Mark started sailing at the San Diego Yacht Club when he was 8 years old.

Mark campaigned for the 1980 Olympics in the FD Class which ended with the US boycott. In 1983 Mark switched to the Star placing 3rd in the 1984 trials. In 1988 Reynolds and Hal Haenel won the US Olympic trials and the Silver medal at the Olympics in Korea. In 1992 Reynolds and Haenel won the Gold medal in Barcelona. Perhaps his proudest accomplishment was winning the 1995 Star World Championships in Laredo Spain in extreme conditions. In 1996 Reynolds and Haenel won the US Olympic Trials a 3rd time and represented the US in the Star for a unprecedented 3rd time.

In 2000 Mark will again represent the US in the Olympic Games in Sydney with crew Magnus Liljedahl. Magnus and Mark just won the 2000 Star World Championships.

As a sophomore Mark was All American on the San Diego State University sailing team in 1974. Mark lead the team to a 2nd place finish both in 1974 and 1975 in the North American Dinghy Championships.

In 1989 and 1993 Mark received both the Yachtsman of the year award from the San Diego Area Yacht Clubs and the Yachtsman Excellence Award from the Yacht Racing Union of Southern California. He was nominated as the US Olympic Committee's male athlete of the year for Yachting in 1988 and 1992. In 1995 he was named the USOC Male Athlete of the month the first time this award has gone to the sport of sailing. In 1996 Reynolds became the first American to helm in 3 Olympic Games.

In one-design racing, Reynolds has won Gold medals at the Olympic Games and the Goodwill games in the Star and the Pan-Am Games in the Snipe . Other major wins in the Snipe have been in the Snipe Nationals, North Americans and Winter Championships. In the Star Reynolds has won the Bacardi Cup in Miami 6 times, the South American Championships, North American Championships (2 times), European Championships (2 times), Spring Championships of the Western Hemisphere (4 times), Kiel Week in Germany and the World Championships (2 times). Reynolds has also placed 2nd (3 times), 3rd (2 times), 4th and 5th in the Star World championships. He was US National match racing champion in 1987.

Not only does Mark win medals for his sailing expertise, he also builds medal-winning, one-design sails for the Olympic Star class, Snipes and other boats. Mark is owner of Aeroforce and Quantum San Diego. His Star sails took the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the 1984, 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

Mark's father Jim Reynolds campaigned for an Olympic birth 3 times, placing 2nd in the US Olympic trials twice. In 1971 Jim was World Champion in the Star Class with Dennis Conner.

For more information on how Mark and Magnus made it to the Olympics check out US Sailing's Star Olympic Trial Page.

Are you interested in sailing or learning to sail? US Sailing is the national governing board for the sport of sailing in the United States. You can find information on youth sailing programs and getting started in sailing.

Sport Science is an interactive study of sports designed to help students understand aerodynamics, physics, and mathematics, as part of NASA's educational outreach mission via the World Wide Web.