On Dec. 8, 1994, NASA announced the selection of its 15th group of astronauts. The diverse group comprised 19 candidates – 10 pilots and nine mission specialists, and included five women, two African Americans, one Asian American, and the first Peruvian-born and Indian-born astronauts. Four international astronauts, one each from Canada and Japan and two … Read more
In this photo taken on Sept. 16, 1993, NASA astronauts James H. Newman (left), and Carl E. Walz evaluate procedures and gear for an upcoming Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission with the Caribbean Sea and part of the Bahama Islands chain in view. Newman and Walz’s spacewalk, part of the STS-51 mission, lasted seven hours, … Read more
Forty years ago, in October 1984, Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space. But being the first presented several challenges that started well before she took those historic steps. Things got complicated just after she learned of her assignment. Biomedical researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) raised what they believed was … Read more
At the end of February 1998, Johnson Space Center Deputy Director James D. Wetherbee called Astronaut Eileen Collins to his office in Building 1. He told her she had been assigned to command STS-93 and went with her to speak with Center Director George W.S. Abbey who informed her that she would be going to … Read more
Retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Engle died July 10, surrounded by his family at home in Houston. Among his many honors, he is the only astronaut to pilot both the X-15 and space shuttle. He was 91. Engle became an astronaut at age 32 while flying the X-15 for the … Read more
The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Monday’s passing of Thomas Stafford, a lifelong space exploration advocate, former NASA astronaut, and U.S. Air Force general: “Today, General Tom Stafford went to the eternal heavens, which he so courageously explored as a Gemini and Apollo astronaut as well as a peacemaker in … Read more
Astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot for the Apollo 9 Earth-orbital mission, stands in the command module’s open hatch during his stand-up spacewalk on March 6, 1969. Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot, took this photograph of Scott while also performing a spacewalk. He was positioned on the porch of the lunar module … Read more
The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on former NASA Administrator and astronaut Richard Truly, who passed away Feb. 27, 2024, at his home in Genesee, Colorado, at the age of 86. “NASA is the place it is today because of people of character, vision, and a spirit of service – people … Read more
Retired NASA astronaut Mary Cleave, a veteran of two NASA spaceflights, died Nov. 27. She was 76. A scientist with training in civil and environmental engineering, as well as biological sciences and microbial ecology, Cleave was the first woman to serve as an associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Born in Southampton, New York, … Read more
NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins (left) and Rick Mastracchio, show off their Thanksgiving meal in the Unity node of the International Space Station on Nov. 28, 2013. The meal included smoked turkey, green beans, and stuffing. This year, holiday treats including turkey, pumpkin spice cappuccino, and cranberry sauce were sent to the orbital laboratory through NASA’s … Read more