Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper logged over 33 hours of extravehicular activity across two Space Shuttle missions, STS-115 and STS-126. An experienced naval officer and engineer, she transitioned from complex salvage operations on Earth to the rigorous demands of orbital construction, becoming the first woman from Minnesota to travel into space during her 2006 debut.
Academic and Military Foundation
Born in Saint Paul in 1963, Stefanyshyn-Piper graduated from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in 1980. She pursued mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1984 followed by a Master of Science in 1985. Upon commissioning through the Naval ROTC program at MIT, she trained at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida. As a Navy salvage officer, she participated in critical maritime projects, including the de-stranding of the tanker Exxon Houston near Barbers Point, Hawaii.
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Selected as an astronaut candidate in April 1996, she reported to the Johnson Space Center that August. Following two years of technical training, she qualified as a mission specialist. Her roles included serving as the lead Astronaut Office Representative for Payloads and working within the Astronaut Office EVA branch. Her expertise in challenging environments extended to the Aquarius underwater laboratory, where she commanded the NEEMO 12 expedition in May 2007 to study human survival tactics for long-duration space exploration.
Space Shuttle Missions
Her first flight, STS-115 aboard Atlantis, launched in September 2006, where she performed two spacewalks totaling over 12 hours to install P3/P4 truss components. In November 2008, she served as mission specialist and lead spacewalker on STS-126 aboard Endeavour. During this mission, she completed three additional spacewalks, bringing her career total to five. Her military service has been acknowledged with numerous decorations, including the Legionnaire of Legion of Merit and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1963, Saint Paul
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Military Rank: Captain
- Space Missions: STS-115, STS-126
- Total Spacewalk Duration: 33 hours and 42 minutes
- Awards: NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- NEEMO Expedition: 12th commander
Questions readers ask
What was the focus of her work during STS-115?
She conducted the initial installation of the P3/P4 truss on the space station and installed a radiator.
Did she serve in the Navy before NASA?
Yes, she was a commissioned naval officer and salvage officer before her selection as an astronaut candidate in 1996.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cretin-Derham Hall High School
- Worked as naval officer, astronaut and engineer
