Catherine Coleman

Catherine Coleman (born December 14, 1960) is an American chemist, former United States Air Force officer, and retired NASA astronaut. She is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, and departed the International Space Station (ISS) on May 23, 2011, after logging 159 days in space.

Early life and education

Catherine Coleman was born in Charleston, South Carolina. She attended W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, graduating in 1978. She then went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she received a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1983. She later earned a doctorate in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1991.

Military career

After graduating from MIT, Coleman was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. She served in a variety of roles, including research chemist at the Materials Directorate of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. She retired from the Air Force in 2009 with the rank of colonel.

NASA career

Coleman was selected by NASA in 1992 and flew on Space Shuttle Columbia for STS-73 in 1995, where she served as the mission specialist. Her second mission was on Space Shuttle Discovery for STS-93 in 1999, where she served as the lead mission specialist for the deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

In December 2010, Coleman launched on a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expedition 26/27. She served as a flight engineer for both expeditions, returning to Earth in May 2011.

Personal life

Coleman is married and has one child. She is an amateur flute player and has taken several flutes with her on her space missions.

See also

• List of female astronauts
• Women in space