Pamela Melroy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pamela Melroy
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Official portrait, 2023
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| 15th Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| In office June 21, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | James Morhard |
| Personal details | |
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Pamela Ann Melroy
September 17, 1961 Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
| Education | Wellesley College (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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38d 20h 6m |
| Selection | NASA Group 15 (1994) |
| Missions | STS-92 STS-112 STS-120 |
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Mission insignia
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Pamela Ann Melroy (born September 17, 1961) is a brave American who used to be an officer in the United States Air Force and a NASA astronaut. Today, she serves as the Deputy Administrator of NASA. She flew as a pilot on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-92 and STS-112. Later, she commanded the mission STS-120. She left NASA in August 2009.
After her time as an astronaut, Pamela Melroy worked for Lockheed Martin. She then joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2011. There, she was a senior advisor and director for commercial space transportation. In 2013, she moved to DARPA, a government agency that develops new technologies. She left DARPA in February 2017. In November 2021, Pamela Melroy was honored by being added to the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. This special place is at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pamela Melroy was born in Palo Alto, California. She finished high school in Rochester, New York, in 1979. She then went to Wellesley College. In 1983, she earned a degree in Physics and Astronomy.
She continued her studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1984, she received a master's degree in Earth and Planetary Science. Later, in 2008, she received an honorary degree from Iona College.
A Career in Service
Military Service
Pamela Melroy joined the Air Force in 1984 through a special program called Air Force ROTC. After getting her master's degree, she trained to become a pilot. She graduated in 1985. For six years, she flew the KC-10 aircraft. She was a copilot, aircraft commander, and instructor pilot.
She served in important military operations like Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. She flew over 200 combat missions. In 1991, she attended the Air Force Test Pilot School. After graduating, she became a test pilot for the C-17 aircraft. She flew many different types of planes, logging over 5,000 hours in the air. She retired from the Air Force in February 2007.
Becoming a NASA Astronaut
NASA chose Pamela Melroy to be an astronaut in December 1994. She started her training at the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. After a year of training, she became qualified to fly as a Space Shuttle pilot. She helped with astronaut support for launches and landings. She also worked on future projects for the Astronaut Office.
She even served as a CAPCOM, which means she was the main communicator with astronauts in space from mission control. After the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, she helped investigate what happened. She was a leader on the team that rebuilt parts of the crew module. Her last role at NASA before leaving was as branch chief for the Orion program.
Space Shuttle Missions
Pamela Melroy flew as a pilot on two Space Shuttle missions. These were STS-92 in 2000 and STS-112 in 2002. She then became the commander for mission STS-120 in 2007. This made her only the second woman ever to command a Space Shuttle mission. The first was Eileen Collins.
During the STS-120 mission, the crew visited the International Space Station (ISS). At that time, Peggy Whitson was commanding the ISS. This was a historic moment because it was the first time two female mission commanders were in space at the same time. Pamela Melroy has spent over 924 hours in space, which is more than 38 days!
STS-92: Building the Space Station
The STS-92 mission on Discovery launched on October 11, 2000. It lasted for 13 days. The seven astronauts on board used Discovery's robotic arm to attach new parts to the International Space Station. These parts were the Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3. They also did four spacewalks to set up these new pieces. This mission helped prepare the ISS for its first permanent crew. The shuttle traveled 5.3 million miles during this flight.
STS-112: More Station Assembly
The STS-112 mission on Atlantis launched on October 7, 2002. This mission was also about building the International Space Station. The crew delivered and installed the S1 Truss. This was the third large piece of the station's main structure. Astronauts performed three spacewalks to get the new part ready. Pamela Melroy helped guide these spacewalks from inside the shuttle. This mission was also special because it was the first time a camera on the External Tank showed a live view of the launch. The mission lasted almost 11 days.
STS-120: A Commander's Flight
The STS-120 mission on Discovery launched on October 23, 2007. Pamela Melroy was the commander of this flight. The crew delivered the Node 2 element, named Harmony, to the International Space Station. This new part allowed more international laboratories to be added to the station. During the mission, a large solar array on the station was moved. The array panels got snagged and damaged during this move. An unplanned spacewalk was successfully performed to fix the array. This mission lasted over 15 days.
Deputy Administrator of NASA
In November 2020, Pamela Melroy joined President-elect Joe Biden's team. She helped with the transition related to NASA. On April 16, 2021, the White House announced that they wanted Pamela Melroy to be NASA's Deputy Administrator. She would work alongside Bill Nelson, who was nominated to be the Administrator.
Her nomination was sent to the Senate on April 22, 2021. The Senate Committee held a hearing on May 20, 2021. Pamela Melroy received strong support from both political parties. She said she would work closely with Administrator Bill Nelson. On June 16, 2021, her nomination was approved by the Senate Committee. The next day, the full Senate confirmed her nomination. She was sworn into office on June 21, 2021, by Administrator Bill Nelson.
Personal Life
Pamela Melroy is married to Douglas Hollett. He is a geologist. He has also worked in government and for an oil company.
See also
In Spanish: Pamela Melroy para niños
