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Annette Hasbrook
Annette Hasbrook Nasa Flight Directors in 2007.jpg
Alma mater University of Notre Dame
Scientific career
Institutions NASA
Johnson Space Center

Annette Hasbrook is a retired NASA flight director who played a big role in America's space missions. She was one of the first women ever chosen for the important job of flight director, helping to lead missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

During her long career, she worked on space shuttle flights and the Orion Program, which is designed for future space exploration. After years of leading missions, she helped train the next generation of flight directors before retiring in 2023.

Education and Early Career

Annette Hasbrook studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 1985. Her love for space and science led her to apply for a job at NASA.

In 1987, she started her career as a Payload Officer. A payload is anything a rocket or space shuttle carries, like satellites or supplies for the ISS. As a Payload Officer, her job was to make sure all the cargo got into space safely and worked correctly. She worked on twelve space flights in this role.

In 2000, Hasbrook was accepted into NASA's flight director training program. This was a huge achievement, as she became one of only a few women in history to hold this important position at the time.

A Leader at NASA

As a flight director, Annette Hasbrook was like the conductor of an orchestra, but for space missions. From the control room at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, she led teams of experts to make sure missions were safe and successful.

Guiding Space Missions

From 2000 to 2009, Hasbrook was a key leader for many missions. She worked with the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and the Space Shuttle Endeavour. She was also the lead flight director for Expedition 10, a long-term mission where astronauts lived and worked on the International Space Station.

One of her most important jobs was being the lead flight director for mission STS-124. During this mission, astronauts delivered and installed a giant laboratory called "Kibo" to the ISS. This was a very complex task that required great leadership and technical skill.

Training Future Space Explorers

After years of leading missions, Hasbrook took on new roles where she could share her knowledge. In 2010, she became the Chief of the Space Flight Training Management office.

In this job, she was in charge of all the training for astronauts, flight controllers, and instructors. She made sure everyone was prepared for the challenges of spaceflight. She helped create the standards and tests that everyone had to pass to be ready for a mission.

Before retiring in April 2023, she also worked as an assistant manager for the Orion Program, NASA's spacecraft for future missions to the Moon and beyond.

Awards and Honors

NASA recognized Annette Hasbrook for her amazing work with several special awards.

  • NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2005): She received this for her excellent leadership skills in managing NASA programs.
  • Exceptional Service Medal: This award was for her important contributions to space missions and her skill at solving problems.
  • Silver Snoopy Award: This is a special honor given by astronauts to people who have made sure their missions are safe and successful.

See also

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