Linda Spilker facts for kids

Linda Spilker is an American scientist who studies planets and space. She is famous for her important work on the Cassini mission, which explored the planet Saturn and its amazing rings. She also works on the Voyager missions, which are still traveling far out in space!

Linda Spilker's Journey in Space Science

Linda Spilker started her journey in science by studying physics. She earned her first degree from California State University, Fullerton in 1977. Later, she got her master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 1983. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. in Geophysics and Space Physics from UCLA in 1992.

In 1977, Linda joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a famous place where scientists and engineers build and control spacecraft. She began working on the Voyager missions the same year. These missions sent two spacecraft, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, to explore the outer planets of our solar system.

Working on the Cassini Mission

Linda became a scientist for the Cassini mission in 1990. This mission was a very important project to study Saturn, its rings, and its many moons. In 2010, she became the project scientist for the Cassini mission. This meant she was in charge of guiding all the scientific research done by the team.

Linda helped lead the Cassini mission until it ended in 2017. The mission taught us so much about Saturn, like how its rings are formed and how they change. She has also appeared on TV shows, like the PBS Nova series, to share her knowledge about space.

Awards and Recognitions

Linda Spilker has received many awards for her important work in space science:

• NASA Exceptional Service Medal (2013)
• NASA Group Achievement Award (2011, 2009, 2000, 1998, 1982–1989)
• NASA Scientific Achievement Award (1982)

See also

In Spanish: Linda Spilker para niños

• List of women in leadership positions on astronomical instrumentation projects