Logging more than 686 hours in space, Ellen S. Baker transitioned from a career in internal medicine to a specialized role as a mission specialist for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Her professional path integrated clinical practice with the demands of orbital flight, culminating in her leadership within the Astronaut Office.
Academic and Clinical Background
Born in 1953 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Baker pursued a diverse educational trajectory before entering the space program. After graduating from Bayside High School in 1970, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in geology from the University at Buffalo in 1974. She transitioned to medicine at Cornell University, receiving her doctorate in 1978. Following medical school, she completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and obtained board certification in 1981.
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Baker joined the Johnson Space Center in 1981 as a medical officer, having completed the Air Force Aerospace Medicine Course at Brooks Air Force Base that same year. She served as a physician within the Flight Medicine Clinic before her official selection as an astronaut candidate in May 1984. She qualified as an astronaut in June 1985, eventually holding positions supporting the Space Shuttle program and the development of the Space Station.
Spaceflight Missions
Her flight experience includes three shuttle missions. On STS-34 in 1989, she participated in the deployment of the Galileo probe. In 1992, she flew on STS-50, which marked the inaugural mission of the United States Microgravity Laboratory. Her final mission, STS-71 in 1995, was the first flight to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. Following these assignments, she served as Chief of the Education/Medical Branch of the Astronaut Office until retiring in 2011.
Fast facts
- Born: 1953, Fayetteville
- Education: Bayside High School, 1970
- Bachelor of Arts in geology: University at Buffalo, 1974
- Doctorate in medicine: Cornell University, 1978
- Master's Degree in Public Health: University of Texas School of Public Health, 1994
- NASA selection: May 1984
- Total spaceflight time: Over 686 hours
- Retirement: 2011
Questions readers ask
What medical qualifications did Ellen S. Baker hold?
She was a doctor of medicine, certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1981, and also earned a Master's Degree in Public Health in 1994.
How many shuttle missions did she complete?
Baker served as a mission specialist on three separate space shuttle flights: STS-34, STS-50, and STS-71.
Achievements
- Held posts at National Aeronautics and Space Administration
