The first woman to earn an engineering degree from Florida State University, Mary Helen Johnston contributed to NASA's materials science research for over two decades. Her technical career spanned from simulating orbital mission conditions at the Marshall Space Flight Center to developing specialized laser-surface modification techniques, ultimately leading to a distinguished academic tenure at the Florida Institute of Technology.
Academic Foundation
Born in 1945 in West Palm Beach, Florida, Johnston developed an early interest in engineering driven by the emergence of the Sputnik satellite and the proximity of the Kennedy Space Center. She completed a Bachelor of Science in engineering at Florida State University in 1966, followed by a Master of Science in 1969. In 1973, she earned a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the University of Florida under the supervision of David H. Baldwin.
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Johnston joined the Marshall Space Flight Center in 1963 during her undergraduate studies and became a staff metallurgist by 1968. In 1974, she participated in the Concept Verification Test No. 4, a five-day simulation involving a team of four scientists. The mission tested eleven Spacelab experiments under conditions mirroring space flight, excluding weightlessness. Later, she collaborated with Carolyn S. Griner on Space Processing Applications Rocket experiments, specifically focusing on macrosegregation and dendrite remelting.
Astronaut Selection and Training
Following extensive training in the neutral buoyancy laboratory and microgravity flights on a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, Johnston applied for the NASA Group 9 astronaut selection in 1980. Although that application was unsuccessful, she received the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 1982. In 1983, she was named a payload specialist for the STS-51-B Spacelab-3 mission. Serving as a member of the reserve crew and the Payload Operations Control Center, she supported mission management until her retirement from the space agency in 1986.
Patents and Academic Leadership
After transitioning from NASA, Johnston moved into academia, teaching at the University of Tennessee Space Institute. Her research focus shifted toward laser-surface modification, leading to two dozen patents. Her work earned several distinctions, including the American Museum of Science and Energy Award and the Wheeley Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. In 2003, she became the director of the National Center for Hydrogen Research at the Florida Institute of Technology. She was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2018.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, West Palm Beach, United States
- Education: Florida State University, University of Florida
- Occupations: Astronaut, materials scientist, professor
- NASA tenure: 1963-1986
- Doctorate: Metallurgical engineering, 1973
- Patents: Two dozen
- Recognition: NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, 1982
- Professional distinction: Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
Questions readers ask
Did Mary Helen Johnston ever fly in space?
No. Although she was selected as a payload specialist for the STS-51-B Spacelab mission, she served on the reserve crew and did not launch into space.
What was the focus of her scientific research?
Her primary fields included metallurgy, materials science, and laser-surface modification techniques.
Achievements
- Recorded as astronaut
