A 196-day mission to the International Space Station marked the orbital pinnacle for Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor, a physician and engineer who bridged the gap between clinical medicine and aerospace operations. Between June and December 2018, she served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 56 and 57, contributing to extensive scientific experimentation while managing complex physiological challenges in a microgravity environment.
Academic and Medical Foundation
Raised in Colorado, Auñón-Chancellor graduated from Poudre High School in 1993. Her multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving led her to obtain a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University. She subsequently earned an M.D. in 2001 and an M.P.H. in 2006 from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Her medical training included a residency in internal medicine followed by specialization in aerospace medicine. She became board-certified in both disciplines and later directed the aerospace medicine residency program at her alma mater.
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Before her tenure as an astronaut, Auñón-Chancellor served as a NASA flight surgeon, spending nine months in Russia to support medical operations for station crews. Her career is characterized by work in unconventional field locations. She participated in an expedition near the South Pole and conducted research underwater at the Aquarius Reef Base. During the NEEMO 16 mission in 2012, she piloted a DeepWorker 2000 submersible, and in 2015, she served as an aquanaut for the NEEMO 20 mission.
Astronaut Selection and Research
Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2009, she completed her training in 2011. This period included two months in Antarctica with the ANSMET expedition, where the team recovered over 1,200 meteorites. Her NASA career has involved acting as deputy crew surgeon for STS-127 and Expedition 22. In 2021, she served as the Deputy Chief of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate, focusing on medical support and research. Her academic contributions include research on space radiation exposure and a 2020 case report regarding the treatment of deep vein thrombosis in space.
Operational Management and Allegations
Since 2019, she has maintained a role in academia alongside her ongoing medical guidance for NASA missions. In 2021, state-owned Russian news agency TASS reported anonymous claims alleging that Auñón-Chancellor had experienced a medical issue in space and subsequently sabotaged the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. NASA officially denied these accusations, stating that tracking data confirmed all US astronauts were located outside the Russian segment where the vehicle was docked at the time of the incident.
Fast facts
- Born: 1976, Indianapolis
- Education: George Washington University, University of Texas Medical Branch
- Spacecraft: Soyuz MS-09
- Time in space: 196 days, 17 hours, 49 minutes
- NEEMO missions: 16 and 20
- Certifications: Internal Medicine, Aerospace Medicine
- Spouse: Jeff Chancellor
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What medical roles did she hold at NASA?
She served as a flight surgeon, deputy crew surgeon, and deputy lead for Orion medical operations, later becoming Deputy Chief of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate.
Did she participate in underwater research?
Yes, she worked at the Aquarius Reef Base and participated in the NEEMO 16 and NEEMO 20 missions as a pilot and aquanaut.
Achievements
- Held posts at National Aeronautics and Space Administration
