Catherine Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cady Coleman
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Coleman in 2009
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| Born |
Catherine Grace Coleman
December 14, 1960 |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, USAF (ret.) |
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Time in space
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180d 4h 0m |
| Selection | NASA Group 14 (1992) |
| Missions | STS-73 STS-93 Soyuz TMA-20 (Expedition 26/27) |
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Mission insignia
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Catherine Grace "Cady" Coleman (born December 14, 1960) is an American scientist, former Air Force officer, and retired NASA astronaut. She flew on two Space Shuttle missions. Cady also lived and worked on the International Space Station (ISS) for 159 days. She returned to Earth on May 23, 2011, after her long stay in space.
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Cady Coleman's Early Life and Education
Cady Coleman finished high school in Fairfax, Virginia, in 1978. She spent a year as an exchange student in Norway. This experience helped her learn about different cultures.
She then went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1983, she earned a degree in chemistry. Later, in 1991, she received her PhD in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Polymer science is the study of large molecules like plastics.
Military Service
While studying for her PhD, Cady Coleman joined the United States Air Force. She worked as a research chemist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Her work involved studying surfaces and materials. She retired from the Air Force in November 2009. By then, she had reached the rank of Colonel.
Becoming a NASA Astronaut
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NASA chose Cady Coleman to become an astronaut in 1992. She joined the NASA Astronaut Corps. This is a group of highly trained people who travel to space.
Her first space mission was STS-73 in 1995. This was a science mission focused on how things behave in space. She helped with experiments on materials and fluids.
Her second space flight was STS-93 in 1999. On this mission, she helped launch the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This powerful telescope helps scientists study distant objects in space. It looks at things like exploding stars and black holes.
Working with Robots and Underwater
Cady Coleman was also the Chief of Robotics for the Astronaut Office. This meant she helped train astronauts to use the robotic arms on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.
In 2004, she spent eleven days living underwater. She was part of the NEEMO 7 mission in an underwater laboratory called Aquarius. This helped prepare astronauts for living in space.
She also trained as a backup crew member for several ISS expeditions. This training prepared her for her longest space journey. Cady Coleman retired from NASA on December 1, 2016.
Space Missions and Time in Orbit
- STS-73 (October 20 to November 5, 1995): Cady flew on Space Shuttle Columbia. This mission studied how different materials and fluids behave in microgravity. She orbited Earth 256 times. She spent over 15 days in space on this flight.
- STS-93 (July 22 to 27, 1999): This was also on Columbia. Cady was in charge of deploying the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This telescope helps us learn about the universe. This mission lasted almost 5 days.
- Soyuz TMA-20 / Expedition 26/27 (December 15, 2010, to May 23, 2011): This was her longest mission. She launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station. She lived and worked there for many months.
Cady Coleman's Personal Life
Cady Coleman is married to glass artist Josh Simpson. They live in Massachusetts and have two sons.
She is also a talented flute player. She even took several flutes with her to the International Space Station. These included a pennywhistle and an old Irish flute. She played music from orbit, including a duet with musician Ian Anderson. This duet honored Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space.
In 2015, she started working as a guest speaker. She talks to children at the Baylor College of Medicine for their "Saturday Morning Science" program. In 2019, the Irish postal service issued stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landings. Cady Coleman was featured on one of these stamps.
See also
In Spanish: Catherine Coleman para niños
