Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116 carried Joan Higginbotham into orbit, making her the third African American woman to reach space. Her career spanned nearly a decade of technical operations at the Kennedy Space Center before transitioning into the astronaut corps, where she focused on the maintenance and functionality of the International Space Station.
Technical Foundations
Born in 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, Higginbotham attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1987. She continued her education at the Florida Institute of Technology, completing a master's in management science in 1992 and a master's in space systems in 1996.
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Starting her career at the Kennedy Space Center in 1987, Higginbotham served as a payload electrical engineer within two weeks of her graduation. She became the lead for the Orbiter Experiments on Space Shuttle Columbia within six months. During a nine-year tenure at the facility, she participated in 53 shuttle launches, managed vehicle testing for Space Shuttle Atlantis, and led critical analysis for shuttle flow simulation models.
Astronaut Duties and Spaceflight
NASA selected Higginbotham as an astronaut candidate in April 1996. Her ground-based technical duties included testing International Space Station modules and serving as a capsule communicator for station missions. During her flight on STS-116, she logged over 308 hours in space. Her primary operational responsibility involved managing the Space Station Remote Manipulator System.
Transition from NASA
In 2007, NASA announced that Higginbotham would be removed from the crew manifest for the STS-126 mission. She had been targeted for that flight in September 2008, but chose to depart the agency to pursue opportunities in the private sector. Donald Pettit subsequently replaced her on the crew assignment.
Fast facts
- Born: 1964, Chicago
- Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Florida Institute of Technology
- Career Start: 1987 at Kennedy Space Center
- Spaceflight: STS-116
- Flight Time: Over 308 hours
- NASA Award: Exceptional Service Medal
- Notable Award: 2007 Women in Space Science Award
Questions readers ask
What was Higginbotham's primary role during her spaceflight?
She was responsible for operating the Space Station Remote Manipulator System.
Which shuttle mission did she fly on?
She flew as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Florida Institute of Technology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
- Worked as astronaut and engineer
