The mission of STS-118 launched from Kennedy Space Center on August 8, 2007, carrying a former elementary school teacher into orbit. Barbara Morgan became the first person with a primary career in education to reach space, nearly two decades after she initially trained for the ill-fated 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger mission as a backup candidate.
Academic Background
Born in Fresno in 1951, Morgan graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in 1969. She pursued higher education at Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology in 1973. The following year, she completed her teaching credential at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California, laying the foundation for a long career in public education.
Early Teaching Career
Morgan spent several years working in diverse educational environments. She began at Arlee Elementary School on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana in 1974. She later moved to Idaho to teach at McCall-Donnelly Elementary School, with an intervening year spent instructing English and science at the Colegio Americano de Quito in Ecuador.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Transition to NASA
In 1985, NASA selected Morgan as the backup candidate for the Teacher in Space Project. She underwent rigorous training at the Johnson Space Center alongside Christa McAuliffe. Following the 1986 Challenger disaster, she served as the Teacher in Space Designee for several months, engaging in educational outreach before returning to the classroom in Idaho.
Spaceflight Operations
Selected as a mission specialist in 1998, Morgan completed two years of training at Johnson Space Center. Her role on STS-118 involved operating the robotic arm and coordinating the transfer of over 8,000 pounds of cargo to and from the International Space Station. She also conducted amateur radio sessions with students during the flight.
Post-NASA Endeavors
Morgan transitioned from NASA in 2008 to serve as a distinguished educator in residence at Boise State University. Her work at the institution spans the colleges of engineering and education, focusing on advocacy and policy development in science and technology. She received the Women in Space Science Award the same year.
Fast facts
- Born: 1951, Fresno, California
- Education: Stanford University, Notre Dame de Namur University
- NASA Teacher in Space backup: 1985
- Selected as astronaut candidate: 1998
- Spaceflight: STS-118, August 2007
- Employer: Boise State University
- Award: Women in Space Science Award, 2008
Questions readers ask
Was Barbara Morgan considered an educator astronaut?
No, NASA administrator Michael D. Griffin clarified that she served as a standard mission specialist who previously worked as a teacher.
What were her primary duties during the STS-118 mission?
She served as the robotic arm operator and the transfer coordinator for cargo moving between the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Boise State University
- Educated at Stanford University, Notre Dame de Namur University and Herbert Hoover High School
- Worked as astronaut and teacher
