Nicole Stott

Nicole Stott‏‎ is an American engineer and retired NASA astronaut. She was born on November 19, 1962, in Albany, New York. Stott has participated in two spaceflights and spent a total of 104 days in space.

Early life and education

Nicole Stott was born in Albany, New York. She graduated from Clearwater High School in Clearwater, Florida, in 1980. She then attended the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Stott later earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the University of Central Florida.

Career

Stott began her career at NASA in 1988 as an operations engineer in the Orbiter Processing Facility. She held various positions within NASA before being selected as an astronaut candidate in 2000.

NASA career

Stott's first spaceflight was on STS-128, which launched on August 28, 2009. She served as a mission specialist and was the first person to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on a shuttle and return on a different shuttle.

Her second spaceflight was on STS-133, the final flight of Space Shuttle Discovery, which launched on February 24, 2011. During this mission, Stott performed a spacewalk and helped install the Permanent Multipurpose Module and the fourth Express Logistics Carrier on the ISS.

Personal life

Stott is married and has one son. She is also an artist and often combines her love of space and art in her work.

See also

• List of female astronauts
• List of spacewalks and moonwalks