Tracy Caldwell Dyson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tracy Caldwell Dyson
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Caldwell Dyson in 2023
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Tracy Ellen Caldwell
August 14, 1969 Arcadia, California, U.S
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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372 days 18 hours and 36 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 17 (1998) |
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Total EVAs
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4 |
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Total EVA time
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23 hours and 20 minutes |
| Missions | STS-118 Soyuz TMA-18 (Expedition 23/24) Soyuz MS-25 (Expedition 70/71) |
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Mission insignia
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physical chemistry |
| Thesis | A Mechanistic and Kinetic Study of Heterocycle and Cyclization Chemistry on Pd(111) Using Laser-Induced Thermal Desorption with Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (1997) |
Tracy Caldwell Dyson (born Tracy Ellen Caldwell on August 14, 1969) is an American chemist and NASA astronaut. She has flown on three space missions. These include a Space Shuttle flight and two long stays on the International Space Station (ISS). She has also performed four spacewalks, spending almost 24 hours outside the station.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Caldwell Dyson was born in Arcadia, California. She is the younger of two sisters. In the early 1980s, her family moved to Beaumont, California. Her father worked there as an electrician.
Tracy attended junior high and high school in Beaumont. She enjoyed running, weight training, hiking, softball, and basketball. She also liked working on cars.
College Years
She went to California State University, Fullerton. There, she was part of the track and field team. She competed as a sprinter and long jumper.
As a student, she helped design and build electronics for studying gases in the atmosphere. She also worked in a lab safety office. She checked labs that used dangerous chemicals. She also helped manage chemical and radioactive waste. During and after college, she worked as an electrician for her father's company.
Graduate Studies
Caldwell Dyson then studied at the University of California, Davis. She taught chemistry labs there. Her research focused on how molecules react on metal surfaces. She used special tools like lasers to study these reactions.
In 1997, she received a special fellowship. This allowed her to study atmospheric chemistry at the University of California, Irvine. She researched how different chemicals react in the air. She has published many scientific papers about her work.
Career as an Astronaut
In June 1998, NASA chose Tracy Caldwell Dyson to become an astronaut. She started her training two months later. Her training included learning about the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). She also learned how to fly a T-38 Talon jet. She practiced water and wilderness survival skills. After completing this training, she was ready for space missions.
Working at Mission Control
In 1999, Caldwell Dyson worked with the Russian team for the ISS. She helped test Russian equipment and software for the station. She also supported the Expedition 5 crew, helping them with technical issues.
During ISS Expeditions 4 through 6, she worked as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM). This meant she was the main person talking to the astronauts from Mission Control. Later, she worked on Space Shuttle operations. She helped with launch and landing at Kennedy Space Center. She was also the lead CAPCOM for Expedition 11.
Between her space flights, she continued to work as a CAPCOM. She helped with both Space Shuttle and Space Station operations. She also helped train new astronauts for spacewalks. She even hosted a NASA TV show called StationLife. This show talked about what life is like on the International Space Station.
On March 21, 2017, Caldwell Dyson stood with President Trump. He signed a bill for NASA to send humans to Mars. She and fellow astronaut Chris Cassidy gave President Trump an official flight jacket.
First Space Mission: STS-118
Caldwell Dyson was chosen for her first space mission, STS-118, on May 17, 2006. This was the first flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour after the Columbia Disaster. She served as a mission specialist.
On August 8, 2007, she launched into space for the first time. During this mission, the crew added a new part to the International Space Station. They also installed a new gyroscope and spare parts platform. A new system was activated that allowed the Shuttle to get power from the station. This helped them stay docked longer. The crew performed four spacewalks. The Endeavour carried supplies to the station and brought equipment back to Earth. The STS-118 mission lasted almost 13 days. Caldwell Dyson celebrated her 38th birthday in space during this flight.
Second Space Mission: Expedition 23/24
Caldwell Dyson was assigned to her second space mission on November 21, 2008. This was a six-month trip to the International Space Station.
She launched on April 2, 2010, from Baikonur on the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft. She was a Flight Engineer. After two days, her crew docked with the ISS. She joined Expedition 23 and later Expedition 24.
During her mission, the STS-131 crew visited the station. This was a special time because it was the first time four women were in space together. These women were Caldwell Dyson, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, and Naoko Yamazaki. Another Space Shuttle, STS-132, also visited. It brought the Russian Rassvet module to the station.
Later in her mission, a coolant pump on the station broke. Caldwell Dyson performed her first spacewalk on August 7, 2010. She worked with astronaut Douglas Wheelock. They prepared the broken pump for replacement. She performed two more spacewalks on August 11 and August 16, 2010, to replace the pump.
She landed back in Kazakhstan on September 25, 2010. She had spent over 176 days in space. During this mission, she completed three spacewalks, totaling almost 23 hours.
Third Space Mission: Expedition 70/71
Caldwell Dyson trained as a backup crew member for the Soyuz MS-24 mission. She was then officially assigned to the Soyuz MS-25 mission in 2023.
Her first launch attempt on March 21, 2024, was stopped just before lift-off. This happened because of a low voltage reading in the rocket. She successfully launched on March 23, 2024. Her crew included Oleg Novitsky from Roscosmos and Marina Vasilevskaya from Belarus. They docked with the ISS on March 25, 2024.
During her first weeks, the crew handled the SpaceX CRS-30 mission. They also watched the total solar eclipse over North America on April 8, 2024. In May, they prepared for three planned spacewalks. They checked their spacesuits and tools. They also did maintenance and scientific work on the station.
On June 6, Caldwell Dyson saw the arrival of the first crewed Boeing Starliner mission. Astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board. Caldwell Dyson helped them test the Starliner spacecraft.
On June 24, Caldwell Dyson started a spacewalk with Michael Barratt. However, this spacewalk ended early. There was a small water leak in Caldwell Dyson's spacesuit. The spacewalk lasted only 31 minutes.
All future spacewalks were postponed after this incident. The Expedition 71 crew continued their scientific work and station maintenance. They saw the departure of the Cygnus NG-20 cargo ship on July 12. They also welcomed the arrival of the Cygnus NG-21 cargo ship on August 6.
Caldwell Dyson spent six months on the station. She returned to Earth on September 23, 2024. She landed with Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft.
Other Activities
Tracy Caldwell Dyson is a private pilot. She can speak American Sign Language and Russian.
She is also the lead singer for the all-astronaut band called Max Q.
In 2011, Caldwell Dyson was a guest judge on a space-themed episode of the Food Network show Cupcake Wars. She also appeared on MasterChef Junior Season 4.
Caldwell Dyson advised actress Jessica Chastain. Chastain was preparing to play an astronaut in the 2015 movie The Martian. Chastain said Caldwell Dyson was a great inspiration.
Personal Life
Caldwell Dyson is married to U.S. Naval aviator George Dyson.
Awards and Honors
- Honorary Doctorate, California State University, Fullerton (May 2008)
- NASA Performance Award (2002 & 2001)
- NASA Go the Extra Mile (GEM) Award (2001)
- NASA Superior Accomplishment Award (2000)
- NASA Group Achievement Award – Russian Crusader Team (2000)
- Outstanding Doctoral Student Award in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis (1997)
- American Vacuum Society Graduate Research Award (1996)
- Patricia Roberts Harris Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry (1993–1997)
- National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Award (1992)
Images for kids
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STS-118 mission patch
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Expedition 23 mission patch
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Expedition 24 mission patch
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Expedition 70 mission patch
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Expedition 71 mission patch
See also
In Spanish: Tracy Caldwell Dyson para niños
