Serena Auñón-Chancellor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Serena Auñón-Chancellor
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Auñón-Chancellor in 2015
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Serena Maria Auñón
April 9, 1976 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Current occupation
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Management astronaut |
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Time in space
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196 days, 17 hours, 49 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 20 (2009) |
| Missions | Soyuz MS-09 (Expedition 56/57) |
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Mission insignia
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Serena Maria Auñón-Chancellor (born April 9, 1976) is an American physician, engineer, and NASA astronaut. She is known for her trip to the International Space Station (ISS). This journey was part of Expedition 56 and 57. After her space mission, she started a new role at NASA. She now helps manage medical issues for astronauts on the space station.
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Becoming an Astronaut: Education and Training
Serena Auñón-Chancellor went to Poudre High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. She studied Electrical Engineering at George Washington University. There, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree.
She then went on to become a doctor. She received her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2001. Later, she earned a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in 2006.
Serena also completed special training in internal medicine and aerospace medicine at UTMB. Aerospace medicine is about keeping people healthy in space or during flights. She is officially certified in both of these medical fields.
Medical Career Before Space
Before becoming an astronaut, Auñón-Chancellor worked for NASA as a flight surgeon. A flight surgeon is a doctor who takes care of astronauts. She spent over nine months in Russia. There, she helped with medical support for astronauts on the International Space Station.
In 2009, she received an award called the Julian E. Ward Memorial Award. This award recognized her work in helping astronauts stay healthy during spaceflight. It also honored her for developing medical kits. These kits are used to help astronauts when they launch into space and land back on Earth in Kazakhstan.
NASA Astronaut Journey
Serena Auñón-Chancellor was chosen to become an astronaut in June 2009. She finished her astronaut training program in 2011. This training prepares astronauts for all parts of space travel.
Antarctic Adventure
As part of her training, Serena spent two months in Antarctica. This was from 2010 to 2011. She was part of an expedition called ANSMET. This group searches for meteorites, which are rocks from space. The team found over 1200 meteorites during their trip.
Underwater Missions: NEEMO
To prepare for space, astronauts sometimes train underwater. In June 2012, Auñón-Chancellor piloted a special submersible vehicle. This was for the NASA/NOAA NEEMO 16 mission. It took place underwater off Key Largo, Florida.
In July 2015, she also took part in the NEEMO 20 mission. During these missions, astronauts live and work underwater. This helps them practice for living in space.
Her Space Mission
In 2018, Serena Auñón-Chancellor spent 196 days, 17 hours, and 49 minutes in space. She lived and worked aboard the International Space Station. She traveled to the ISS on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.
She was a flight engineer for NASA during Expedition 56 and 57. Her time in space lasted from June 6 to December 20, 2018.
Working as a Management Astronaut
After her space mission, Serena Auñón-Chancellor became a Management Astronaut. In this role, she helps with medical issues for astronauts. She also provides support for astronauts who are currently in space.
In January 2020, she published a study. It was about an astronaut who had to treat a medical condition while on the International Space Station.
Research and Personal Life
Serena Auñón-Chancellor's research focuses on how space radiation affects astronauts' health. She uses computer models to study the radiation environment inside spacecraft.
Family and Hobbies
Serena's father, Jorge Auñón, came to the United States from Cuba in 1960. Her mother is Margaret Auñón.
Serena is married to Jeff Chancellor, who is a physicist. She also has a step-daughter.
She is also a licensed amateur radio operator. This means she can use a special radio to talk to people around the world. Her call sign is KG5TMT. She earned her license in 2017. During her last weeks on the ISS, she made random radio contacts with people on Earth. She often did this when the space station passed over the United States on Saturday mornings and early afternoons.
Honors and Awards
Serena Auñón-Chancellor has received several awards for her hard work and achievements:
- 2004 - Thomas N. and Gleaves James Award for Excellent Performance by a Third-Year Resident in Internal Medicine.
- 2006 - William K. Douglas Award
- 2007 - Outstanding UTMB Resident Award
- 2009 - United States Air Force Flight Surgeons Julian Ward Award
See also
In Spanish: Serena M. Auñón para niños
- List of female astronauts
- List of Hispanic astronauts
