Karen Nyberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Nyberg
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| Born |
Karen LuJean Nyberg
October 7, 1969 |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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180d |
| Selection | NASA Group 18 (2000) |
| Missions | STS-124 Soyuz TMA-09M (Expedition 36/37) |
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Mission insignia
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| Retirement | March 31, 2020 |
Karen LuJean Nyberg, born on October 7, 1969, is an amazing American engineer and a former astronaut for NASA. She made history in 2008 by becoming the 50th woman to travel into space. Karen Nyberg has a special advanced degree called a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. She started working in space-related fields in 1991. Over her career, she spent a total of 180 days living and working in space. She flew on two missions: STS-124 in 2008 and Soyuz TMA-09M in 2013. On these missions, she worked as a mission specialist and a flight engineer.
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Early Life and Education
Karen Nyberg was born on October 7, 1969. Her hometown is Parkers Prairie, Minnesota. She finished high school in Henning, Minnesota, in 1988.
College Studies
Nyberg went to the University of North Dakota. She earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1994. She graduated with very high honors.
She continued her studies at the University of Texas at Austin. There, she earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1996. Her research focused on how the human body controls its temperature. She also studied how to keep astronauts warm or cool in space suits. This important work helped her earn her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1998.
Becoming an Astronaut
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NASA chose Karen Nyberg to be an astronaut candidate in July 2000. She trained for two years to become a mission specialist. After her training, she worked on technical tasks for the Astronaut Office. She also supported the Expedition 6 crew during their six-month mission on the ISS.
Underwater Training
In July 2006, Nyberg took part in NEEMO 10. This was a special deep-sea training exercise. It took place at the Aquarius underwater lab. This training helped NASA prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Nyberg and her team lived and worked underwater for seven days.
Space Missions and Life in Orbit
Nyberg was part of the crew for STS-124. This mission flew to the ISS in May 2008. It was one of three flights to deliver parts for the Japanese Kibō laboratory.
Second Space Mission
In 2013, Nyberg served as a flight engineer on two ISS missions: Expedition 36 and Expedition 37. She launched into space on the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft.
On June 16, 2013, something special happened. It was the 50th anniversary of Vostok 6. This was the first time a woman, Valentina Tereshkova, flew into space. On that day, Karen Nyberg was one of only two women in space. The other was Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping.
Making a Dinosaur in Space
In September 2013, Karen Nyberg shared a unique photo. It showed a stuffed dinosaur she had made in space. She used scraps from the space station to create it. This is believed to be the first stuffed animal ever made by hand in orbit! Astronauts often bring stuffed animals to space. They are fun, but they also float when the spacecraft reaches orbit. This shows that there is no gravity.
During her time on the ISS, Nyberg did many different tasks. She even practiced emergency situations.
After Space Missions
After her 2013 mission, Karen Nyberg continued to work for NASA. She worked in different branches, including the Space Shuttle branch and the Exploration branch. Later, she became the Chief of the Robotics branch.
Karen Nyberg retired from NASA in March 2020.
Personal Life
Karen Nyberg's family comes from Norway. She is married to another astronaut, Doug Hurley. They have a son together. They live in League City, Texas.
Nyberg enjoys many hobbies. She likes running, sewing, drawing, and painting. She also enjoys backpacking, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.
Awards and Recognition
Karen Nyberg has received many awards for her achievements.
- In 2004, she received the UND Young Alumni Achievement Award.
- She won the Space Act Award in 1993.
- She also received the NASA JSC Patent Application Award in 1993.
- In 2014, she was given the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. This is the highest award NASA gives to its employees.
See also
In Spanish: Karen L. Nyberg para niños
