Achieving a perfect score on the SAT exam as one of only sixteen women in United States history, Judith Resnik navigated a demanding academic and professional trajectory. This brilliance propelled her from an early aptitude in mathematics to becoming the second American woman and the first Jewish woman of any nationality to fly in space.
Academic and Technical Foundations
Born in 1949 in Akron, Resnik demonstrated early academic mastery at Firestone High School. She continued this excellence at Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a degree in electrical engineering. Her commitment to research deepened during her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland, where she focused on the bleaching kinetics of visual pigments. She also contributed to biomedical engineering as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health, investigating the effects of electrical currents on the human retina.
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Before joining the space program, Resnik built a technical career in both the private and government sectors. At RCA, she served as a design engineer, working on missile and radar projects for the Navy. Her expertise in special-purpose integrated circuitry and the development of software for telemetry systems distinguished her professional profile. She later functioned as a senior systems engineer for the Xerox Corporation, further refining her skills in complex electronic systems.
Astronaut Missions
Selected by NASA as a mission specialist, Resnik joined the first group of astronauts to include women. Her inaugural spaceflight occurred in 1984 aboard the maiden voyage of Space Shuttle Discovery, known as mission STS-41-D. During this deployment, she logged 145 hours in orbit, with responsibilities including the operation of the shuttle's robotic arm. She later served as a crew member on the Space Shuttle Challenger for mission STS-51-L.
Legacy and Final Service
The career of Judith Resnik ended prematurely in 1986 during the Challenger disaster at Cape Canaveral. Following her death, she was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Her contributions to engineering and space flight were recognized through several honors, including the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1984, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1986, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, which was awarded posthumously in 2004.
Fast facts
- Born: 1949, Akron
- Died: 1986, Cape Canaveral
- Education: Firestone High School, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Maryland
- First Space Flight: STS-41-D, 1984
- Second Space Flight: STS-51-L, 1986
- Ohio Women's Hall of Fame: 1984
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor: 2004
- Burial Site: Arlington National Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What were the primary technical duties of Judith Resnik during her space missions?
She was a mission specialist who developed software and operating procedures and operated the shuttle's robotic arm.
Which major engineering firms employed Resnik prior to her NASA career?
She worked for RCA as a design engineer and for the Xerox Corporation as a senior systems engineer.
Achievements
- Ohio Women's Hall of Fame — 1984
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Carnegie Mellon University, Firestone High School and University of Maryland
- Worked as astronaut and engineer
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