Jessica Meir

Jessica Meir is an American physiologist, marine biologist, and NASA astronaut. She was part of the Expedition 61 and Expedition 62 crews and spent 205 days in space.

Early life and education

Meir was born and raised in Caribou, Maine. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Brown University, and a Master of Science degree in Space Studies from the International Space University. She then went on to earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Career

Before becoming an astronaut, Meir worked with the Antarctic Search for Meteorites program, travelling to Antarctica to collect meteorite samples. She also studied the physiology of animals in extreme environments and worked as an aquanaut in the Aquarius underwater laboratory during the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 4 mission.

In 2013, Meir was selected by NASA to join the NASA Astronaut Group 21. She launched to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expedition 61/62 on September 25, 2019. During her mission, she conducted the first three all-woman spacewalks with astronaut Christina Koch.

Awards and honors

Meir has received several awards and honors for her work, including the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. She was also named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

See also

• List of female spacefarers
• Women in space

External links

• NASA biography