Barbara Morgan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Morgan
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Morgan in 2006
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Barbara Radding
November 28, 1951 Fresno, California, U.S.
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Time in space
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12d 17h 53m |
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| Missions | STS-118 |
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Mission insignia
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Barbara Morgan, born on November 28, 1951, is an American teacher who also became a NASA astronaut. She was part of the Teacher in Space Project. She was the backup for Christa McAuliffe on the Space Shuttle Challenger's mission in 1986. Sadly, that mission ended in a disaster. Later, in 1998, NASA chose her to become an astronaut. She trained as a mission specialist. In August 2007, Astronaut Morgan flew into space on the STS-118 mission. This made her the first teacher to travel to space as a full-time astronaut.
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Barbara Morgan's Early Life and Schooling
Morgan was born to Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Radding in 1951. She grew up in Fresno, California. She went to Herbert Hoover High School there. After finishing high school in 1969, she went to Stanford University. She graduated with honors in 1973. She earned a degree in Human Biology. In 1974, she got her teaching license from Notre Dame de Namur University.
Barbara Morgan's Teaching Career
Morgan started teaching in 1974. She taught reading and math at Arlee Elementary School in Arlee, Montana. This school was on the Flathead Indian Reservation. From 1975 to 1978, she taught reading, math, and second grade in McCall, Idaho.
For one year, from 1978 to 1979, Morgan taught English and science. She taught third graders at Colegio Americano de Quito in Quito, Ecuador. After that, from 1979 to 1998, Morgan taught second, third, and fourth grades. She taught at McCall-Donnelly Elementary School in Idaho.
Teacher in Space Project
NASA chose Morgan as the backup teacher for the Teacher in Space Project. This happened on July 19, 1985. From September 1985 to January 1986, Morgan trained with Christa McAuliffe. They trained with the Space Shuttle Challenger crew. This training took place at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
After the sad Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, Morgan took on new duties. She became the Teacher in Space Designee. From March to July 1986, she worked with NASA. She spoke to many educational groups across the country. In the fall of 1986, Morgan went back to Idaho. She continued her teaching career there. She taught second and third grades at McCall-Donnelly Elementary. She also kept working with NASA's Education Division. Her jobs included public speaking and helping with school programs. She also helped design lessons and served on a special task force. This task force worked to help women and minorities in science and engineering.
Barbara Morgan's NASA Career
In January 1998, NASA chose Morgan to be an astronaut candidate. This was 12 years after McAuliffe's death. She was chosen as a mission specialist. She went to the Johnson Space Center in August 1998. There, she began training to become a full-time astronaut.
After two years of training, she was given technical jobs. She worked in the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. She also worked as a CAPCOM. This meant she was the main person talking to astronauts in space from Mission Control.
Like many astronauts, Morgan is a licensed amateur radio operator. She passed her license exam in 2003. This allowed her to use the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) project.
Morgan was first set to fly on the STS-118 mission. This mission was planned for the Space Shuttle Columbia in November 2004. During the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February 2003, she was in a training plane. This plane was following the shuttle as it got ready to land. Because of the disaster, STS-118 was delayed until 2007. The mission then used the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Morgan's duties as a mission specialist were the same as other crew members. NASA sometimes called her a "mission specialist educator." However, NASA Administrator Michael D. Griffin said she was a standard mission specialist. She just happened to have been a teacher.
Before her flight, Morgan did some interviews. She talked about what the STS-118 crew would do. They would help build the International Space Station. She said, "There's a great sense of pride to be able to be involved in a human endeavor that takes us all a little bit farther. When you look down and see our Earth, and you realize what we are trying to do as a human race, it's pretty profound."
Three weeks after her mission, Morgan gave her first space education talk. It was at Walt Disney World in Florida. Her words from that day are now on a plaque. This plaque is on a wall at Mission: Space. The "Wall of Honor" has quotes from famous people. These include Neil Armstrong and Christa McAuliffe. Morgan's plaque is next to McAuliffe's. McAuliffe's plaque says: "Space is for everybody ... That's our new frontier out there." This talk was one of many Morgan would give.
Barbara Morgan's Spaceflight Experience
The STS-118 mission launched successfully on August 8, 2007. It lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Morgan worked as the robotic arm operator. She also helped move over 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg) of cargo to the International Space Station. She brought back over 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) of items.
During her mission, Morgan also talked to young people. She did twenty-minute amateur radio question-and-answer sessions. These were with kids at the Discovery Center of Idaho and other places. She also joined Mission Specialist Alvin Drew for an education event. This event was with young people at the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. The center honored Morgan with the President George H.W. Bush Leadership Award. STS-118 landed safely at Kennedy Space Center on August 21. It landed a day early because of worries about Hurricane Dean.
Barbara Morgan's Life After NASA
On June 28, 2008, Morgan announced she would leave NASA. She took a teaching job at Boise State University. In August 2008, Morgan became a distinguished educator in residence. She works in both the engineering and education colleges. There, she helps the university with policy and fundraising. She focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math.
On July 4, 2008, Morgan received an award. It was the "Friend of Education" award from the National Education Association. The next month, Barbara R. Morgan Elementary School opened in Meridian, Idaho.
She appeared in a 2020 Netflix documentary series. It was called Challenger: The Final Flight.
Awards and Honors
Morgan received the Adler Planetarium Women in Space Science Award in 2008.
Actress Mary Chris Wall played Morgan in the 1990 TV movie Challenger.
Barbara Morgan's Personal Life
Morgan is married to writer Clay Morgan. They live in McCall, Idaho, and have two sons. She plays the classical flute. She also enjoys jazz music, reading, hiking, swimming, and cross-country skiing.
See also
In Spanish: Barbara Morgan para niños
