Judy Sullivan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Judy Sullivan
Sullivan at Kennedy Space Center in 1966
Born	Judy Shanaberger 1943 (age 81–82)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Biomedical engineer
Known for	Work on Apollo 11

Judy Sullivan, born in 1943, is an American retired biomedical engineer. She worked for NASA on several important space missions, including Apollo 11, Apollo 10, Apollo 9, Apollo 8, and Gemini 12. She was the main biomedical engineer for the Apollo 9 and Apollo 11 missions. Judy Sullivan was a pioneer, being the first woman engineer hired by NASA for testing spacecraft. She was also the only woman in her department at the time.

Early Life and Education

Judy Sullivan, whose maiden name was Shanaberger, grew up in Alabama. She was a very bright student and graduated at the top of her high school class.

She went to Jacksonville State College in Jacksonville, Alabama. There, she studied biology, chemistry, and math. She finished college as the second-best student in her class. Judy decided to focus on science and math after hearing a speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy. He encouraged more students to study engineering, science, and math.

Career at NASA

From Teacher to Engineer

After college, Judy Sullivan started her career as a high school math and science teacher in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In 1966, she applied for a job at NASA. She was hired as an aerospace technologist and engineer.

Judy Sullivan was the first woman engineer hired by NASA for Spacecraft Operations. In the 1960s, only about 17% of NASA's staff were women, and most of them worked as secretaries.

Working on Apollo Missions

Judy Sullivan became the lead biomedical engineer for the historic Apollo 11 mission. She was the only woman who helped astronaut Neil Armstrong in the suit lab before Apollo 11 launched.

During the 1969 launch, Sullivan was in the control room. She watched the biomedical systems, which monitored the astronauts' health. Even though she couldn't see the rocket, she felt the building shake and knew something powerful was happening.

As a biomedical engineer, Judy Sullivan was in charge of the medical devices the astronauts wore. These devices sent information about their health back to Earth. She checked these instruments right after they were put on the astronauts during suit-up.

Judy Sullivan once explained her job:

• The astronauts wore sensors on their bodies during tests and flights.
• These sensors checked their heart rate, took electrocardiograms (ECGs), and monitored their breathing.
• During tests and launches, a doctor and she, as the biomedical engineer, watched the data from the spacecraft.
• The doctor checked the astronaut's health, and she checked how well the medical system was working.

Judy Sullivan was often the only female voice on the communication channels. This meant if she made a mistake, everyone would know it was her.

After NASA

After the Apollo 11 mission, Judy Sullivan left NASA. She later moved to Ithaca, New York, with her husband, Marshall Sullivan. While her husband attended Cornell University, she taught middle school.

Later, the family moved to Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania. There, she continued to work as a teacher and also as a food technologist for Kraft. Today, Judy Sullivan is very proud of her achievements at NASA. She continues to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering.

In 2019, Our Daily Planet called Judy Sullivan their "Hero of the Week." This was to honor her important work at NASA and her efforts to inspire young women in technology and science.

Personal Life

While training for NASA in St. Louis, Missouri, Judy Shanaberger met Marshall Sullivan. They started dating, and when he was transferred to Florida, they got married.

After the Apollo 11 mission, Marshall Sullivan went to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, to get his business degree. Judy went back to teaching. They later moved to the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, where they raised their family.

See also

In Spanish: Judy Sullivan para niños