Nicole Stott

Last updated

Nicole Stott
Nicole Stott v2.jpg
Born (1962-11-19) November 19, 1962 (age 61)
Albany, New York, U.S.
Education St. Petersburg College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (BS)
University of Central Florida (MS)
Space career
NASA astronaut
Time in space
103d 5h 49m [1]
Selection NASA Group 18 (2000)
Missions STS-128
Expedition 20
Expedition 21
STS-129
STS-133
Mission insignia
 STS-128 Patch.svg ISS Expedition 20 Patch.svg ISS Expedition 21 Patch.svg STS-129 patch.svg STS-133 patch.svg

Nicole Marie Passonno Stott (born November 19, 1962) is an American engineer and a retired NASA astronaut. She served as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 and was a mission specialist on STS-128 and STS-133. [2] After 27 years of working at NASA, the space agency announced her retirement effective June 1, 2015. [3] She is married to Christopher Stott, a Manx-born American space entrepreneur.

Contents

Early life and education

Stott was born in Albany, New York and resides in St. Petersburg, Florida. She attended St. Petersburg College studying aviation administration, graduated with a B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1987, and received her M.S. degree in Engineering Management from the University of Central Florida in 1992. Nicole Stott began her career in 1987 as a structural design engineer with Pratt & Whitney Government Engines in West Palm Beach, Florida. She spent a year with the Advanced Engines Group performing structural analyses of advanced jet engine component designs. Stott is an instrument rated private pilot.

NASA career

Nicole Stott participates in an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit fit check. Astronaut Nicole Stott participates in an Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit fit check.jpg
Nicole Stott participates in an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit fit check.

In 1988, Stott joined NASA at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida as an Operations Engineer in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF). After six months, she was detailed to the Director of Shuttle Processing as part of a two-person team tasked with assessing the overall efficiency of Shuttle processing flows, and implementing tools for measuring the effectiveness of improvements. She was the NASA KSC Lead for a joint Ames/KSC software project to develop intelligent scheduling tools. The Ground Processing Scheduling System (GPSS) was developed as the technology demonstrator for this project. GPSS was a success at KSC, and also a commercial success that is part of the PeopleSoft suite of software products. During her time at KSC, Stott also held a variety of positions within NASA Shuttle Processing, including Vehicle Operations Engineer; NASA Convoy Commander; assistant to the Flow Director for Space Shuttle Endeavour; and Orbiter Project Engineer for Columbia. During her last two years at KSC, she was a member of the Space Station Hardware Integration Office and relocated to Huntington Beach, California where she served as the NASA Project Lead for the ISS truss elements under construction at the Boeing Space Station facility. In 1998, she joined the Johnson Space Center (JSC) team in Houston, Texas as a member of the NASA Aircraft Operations Division, where she served as a Flight Simulation Engineer (FSE) on the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA).

Stott participates in the first spacewalk of the STS-128 mission. Nicole Stott participates in the STS-128 mission's first spacewalk.jpg
Stott participates in the first spacewalk of the STS-128 mission.

Selected as a mission specialist by NASA in July 2000, Stott reported for astronaut candidate training in August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, she was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Station Operations Branch, where she performed crew evaluations of station payloads. She also worked as a support astronaut and CAPCOM for the ISS Expedition 10 crew. In April 2006, she was a crew member on the NEEMO 9 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) where she lived and worked with a six-person crew for 18 days on the Aquarius undersea research habitat. [4] Stott was previously assigned to Expedition 20 and Expedition 21. She was launched to the International Space Station with the crew of STS-128, participating in the first spacewalk of that mission, [5] and returned on STS-129, thus becoming the last Expedition crew-member to return to Earth via the space shuttle. Stott completed her second spaceflight on STS-133, the third to last (antepenultimate) flight of the space shuttle. [6] [7]

First live tweet-up from space

On October 21, 2009, Stott and her Expedition 21 crewmate Jeff Williams participated in the first NASA Tweetup from the station with members of the public gathered at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. [8] This involved the first live Twitter connection for the astronauts. [9] Previously, astronauts on board the Space Shuttle or ISS had sent the messages they desired to send as tweets down to Mission Control which then posted them via the Internet to Twitter. [10]

Post NASA

Stott was featured in a Super Bowl LIV commercial promoting Girls Who Code. [11] Stott has also written Back To Earth, described as "What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet and Our Mission to Protect It". She is also an artist and brought a small watercolor kit on ISS Expedition 21 where she was the first person to paint with watercolor in space. Her current works often relate to astronomy including her Earth Observation collection and Spacecraft collection. [12] [13] In 2022, she is providing the narration to a piece being performed by the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, Glen Cortese's "Voyager: A Journey to the Stars." [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandra Magnus</span> American astronaut

Sandra Hall Magnus is an American engineer and a former NASA astronaut. She returned to Earth with the crew of STS-119 Discovery on March 28, 2009, after having spent 134 days in orbit. She was assigned to the crew of STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle. She is also a licensed amateur radio operator with the call sign KE5FYE. From 2012 until 2018 Magnus was the executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Williams (astronaut)</span> Retired United States Army officer and NASA astronaut

Jeffrey Nels Williams is a retired United States Army officer and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of four space flights and formerly held the American record for most days spent in space, which was surpassed in April 2017 by his colleague Peggy Whitson. He still holds the record of the longest time in space for an American man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koichi Wakata</span> Japanese engineer and astronaut (born 1963)

Koichi Wakata is a Japanese engineer and a JAXA astronaut. Wakata is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle missions, a Russian Soyuz mission, and a long-duration stay on the International Space Station. During a nearly two-decade career in spaceflight, he has logged more than eleven months in space. During Expedition 39, he became the first Japanese commander of the International Space Station. Wakata flew on the Soyuz TMA-11M/Expedition 38/Expedition 39 long duration spaceflight from 7 November 2013 to 13 May 2014. During this spaceflight he was accompanied by Kirobo, the first humanoid robot astronaut. As of 2023, he is the longest active astronaut in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick G. Forrester</span> United States Army officer and NASA astronaut

Patrick Graham Forrester is a NASA astronaut, engineer, and former Chief of the Astronaut Office. He is a retired United States Army colonel and Army aviator. He is married and has two children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark L. Polansky</span> American astronaut and pilot

Mark Lewis "Roman" Polansky is an American aerospace engineer and research pilot and a former NASA astronaut. Polansky received the nickname "Roman" as a joke, because he shares a last name with director Roman Polanski. He flew on three Space Shuttle missions: STS-98, STS-116, and STS-127 and was first person of Korean ancestry in space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex J. Walheim</span> United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut (born 1962)

Rex Joseph Walheim is a retired United States Air Force officer, engineer and NASA astronaut. He flew three Space Shuttle missions, STS-110, STS-122, and STS-135. Walheim logged over 566 hours in space, including 36 hours and 23 minutes of spacewalk (EVA) time. He was assigned as mission specialist and flight engineer on STS-135, the final Space Shuttle mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl E. Walz</span> American astronaut (born 1955)

Carl Erwin Walz is a retired NASA astronaut currently working for Orbital Sciences Corporation's Advanced Programs Group as vice president for Human Space Flight Operations. Walz was formerly assigned to the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was the Acting Director for the Advanced Capabilities Division in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, and was responsible for a broad range of activities to include Human Research, Technology Development, Nuclear Power and Propulsion and the Lunar Robotic Exploration Programs to support the Vision for Space Exploration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas H. Wheelock</span> American engineer and astronaut (born 1960)

Douglas Harry "Wheels" Wheelock is an American engineer and astronaut. He has flown in space twice, logging 178 days on the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Russian Soyuz. On July 12, 2011, Wheelock announced that he would be returning to active duty with the United States Army in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is currently working with NASA to test the Orion spacecraft at the Glenn Research Center in Plum Brook, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-128</span> 2009 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS

STS-128 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that launched on August 28, 2009. Space ShuttleDiscovery carried the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo as its primary payload. Leonardo contained a collection of experiments for studying the physics and chemistry of microgravity. Three spacewalks were carried out during the mission, which removed and replaced a materials processing experiment outside ESA's Columbus module, and returned an empty ammonia tank assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-129</span> 2009 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS

STS-129 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Atlantis was launched on November 16, 2009, at 14:28 EST, and landed at 09:44 EST on November 27, 2009, on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. It was also the last Shuttle mission of the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expedition 15</span>

Expedition 15 was the 15th expedition to the International Space Station (ISS). Four crew members participated in the expedition, although for most of the expedition's duration only three were on the station at any one time. During Expedition 15, the ISS Integrated Truss Structure was expanded twice: STS-117 brought the S3/S4 truss, and STS-118 brought the S5 truss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Chamitoff</span> Canadian born engineer and NASA astronaut (born 1962)

Gregory Errol Chamitoff is a Canadian-born American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He has been to space twice, spending 6 months aboard the ISS across Expedition 17 and 18 in 2008, and another 15 days as part of STS-134 in 2011. STS-134 was the last of Space Shuttle Endeavour which delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and completed the US Orbital Segment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Nyberg</span> American mechanical engineer and NASA astronaut

Karen LuJean Nyberg is an American mechanical engineer and retired NASA astronaut. Nyberg became the 50th woman in space on her first mission in 2008. Nyberg holds a Ph.D in mechanical engineering. She started her space career in 1991 and spent a total of 180 days in space in 2008 and 2013 as a mission specialist on STS-124 and a flight engineer on Soyuz TMA-09M.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. Megan McArthur</span> American oceanographer and NASA astronaut (born 1971)

Katherine Megan McArthur is an American oceanographer, engineer, and NASA astronaut. She has served as a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) for both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS). Megan McArthur has flown one Space Shuttle mission, STS-125 and one SpaceX mission, SpaceX Crew-2 on Crew Dragon Endeavour. She is known as the last person to be hands on with the Hubble Space Telescope via the Canadarm. McArthur has served in a number of positions including working in the Shuttle Avionics Laboratory (SAIL). She is married to fellow astronaut Robert L. Behnken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Walker</span> American scientist and NASA astronaut

Shannon Walker is an American physicist and a NASA astronaut selected in 2004. She launched on her first mission into space on June 25, 2010, onboard Soyuz TMA-19 and spent over 163 days in space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randolph Bresnik</span> United States Marine Corps officer and a NASA astronaut on three expeditions

Randolph James "Komrade" Bresnik is a retired officer in the United States Marine Corps and an active NASA astronaut. A Marine Aviator by trade, Bresnik was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 19 in May 2004. He first launched to space on STS-129, then served as flight engineer for Expedition 52, and as ISS commander for Expedition 53.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akihiko Hoshide</span> Japanese astronaut and engineer (born 1968)

Akihiko Hoshide is a Japanese engineer, JAXA astronaut, and former commander of the International Space Station. On August 30, 2012, Hoshide became the third Japanese astronaut to walk in space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Barratt (astronaut)</span> American aerospace medicine physician and astronaut born 1959

Michael Reed Barratt is an American physician and a NASA astronaut. Specializing in aerospace medicine, he served as a flight surgeon for NASA before his selection as an astronaut and has played a role in developing NASA's space medicine programs for both the Shuttle-Mir Program and International Space Station. His first spaceflight was a long-duration mission to the International Space Station, as a flight engineer in the Expedition 19 and 20 crew. In March 2011, Barratt completed his second spaceflight as a crew member of STS-133. Barratt pilots the SpaceX Crew-8 mission that launched on 4 March 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expedition 18</span> Long-duration mission to the International Space Station

Expedition 18 was the 18th permanent crew of the International Space Station (ISS). The first two crew members, Michael Fincke, and Yuri Lonchakov were launched on 12 October 2008, aboard Soyuz TMA-13. With them was astronaut Sandra Magnus, who joined the Expedition 18 crew after launching on STS-126 and remained until departing on STS-119 on 25 March 2009. She was replaced by JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, who arrived at the ISS on STS-119 on 17 March 2009. Gregory Chamitoff, who joined Expedition 18 after Expedition 17 left the station, ended his stay aboard ISS and returned to Earth with the STS-126 crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Caldwell Dyson</span> American chemist and NASA astronaut

Tracy Caldwell Dyson is an American chemist and NASA astronaut. She was a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Endeavour flight STS-118 in August 2007 and part of the Expedition 23 and Expedition 24 crew on the International Space Station from April 2010 to September 2010. She has completed three spacewalks, logging more than 22 hours of extravehicular activity. She is scheduled to return to space on March 21, 2024 for a third time on board Soyuz MS-25 for a six-month mission onboard the ISS.

References

  1. ↑ "Astronauts and Cosmonauts (sorted by "Time in Space")". Spacefacts. January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (October 23, 2010). "NASA - Expedition 20". NASA. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  3. ↑ Canales, Christina (June 5, 2015). "Astronaut Nicole Stott Retires From NASA". NASA. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ NASA (2006). "NASA's Undersea Crew is Heads Above Water". NASA. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  5. ↑ NASA (August 2009). "STS-128 Mission Summary" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  6. ↑ NASA Newsroom (March 3, 2009). "NASA - NASA Announces Change for Return of Station Crew Members". NASA. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ "collectSPACE - news - "NASA shuffles shuttle schedule: Endeavour to fly after Discovery for final planned flight"". collectSPACE.com. April 26, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  8. ↑ Cioffi, Carla (October 21, 2009). "20091021 NASA Live Tweetup Event with International Space Station - a set on Flickr". NASA. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  9. ↑ Yembrick, John (October 1, 2009). "NASA Hosts Long-Distance Tweetup with Astronauts on Space Station". NASA. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
  10. ↑ Horowitz, Etan (May 22, 2009). "The great debate over Astro Mike's 'tweets from space'". The Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 25, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Astronaut Nicole Stott on 'making space' in Olay Super Bowl ad". collectSPACE. January 30, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Nicole Stott ~ The Artistic Astronaut". theartisticastronaut. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Artist". theartisticastronaut. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  14. ↑ Freedman, Geraldine (March 31, 2022). "Astronaut will narrate new piece at Schenectady Symphony concert". dailygazette.com. Retrieved March 31, 2022.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.