Women’s achievements

The Cold War ends, and the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and 11 European countries team up on the prevalent, most intricate, worldwide science project the International Space Station. As NASA ventures additional in space study, women keep on making extraordinary contributions. Women symbolize 25 percent of the astronauts, 16 percent of the scientists and engineers, and one-third of NASA's workforce.

In 1991 Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, USAF became the first female Space Shuttle pilot.

In July 1994, Chiaki Mukai, M.D., Ph.D., became the first Japanese woman to fly in space. She returned to space on STS-95, October 25-November 7, 1998.

In May 1992, Kathy Thornton, Ph.D., became the second American woman to walk in space and holds the record for longest space walk conducted by a woman.

In December 1993, astronaut Kathryn Thornton, Ph.D., helped repair and service the Hubble Space Telescope. She performed two spacewalks during the first Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. She flew four missions accumulating 971 hours in space and 21 hours of spacewalking. She is currently teaching at the University of Virginia.

In September 1992, Mae Jemison, M.D., became the first African-American woman in space. She flew one flight accumulating 192 hours in space. Today she works on linking space-age technology with developing nations, and encouraging women and minorities to enter scientific fields.

In January 1994, Carolyn Huntoon, Ph.D., was appointed the first woman center director, leading NASA Johnson. She is at present a senior executive with the Department of Energy.

In July 1994, Chiaki Mukai, M.D., Ph.D., became the first Japanese woman to take off in space. She returned to space on STS-95, October 25-November 7, 1998.

JoAnn Morgan, Ph.D., was awarded the Society of Women Engineers' 1994 award for engineering activities and intensifying to the senior ranks of an association. She is director for safety, reliability, and quality assurance at NASA Kennedy.

In 1995, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, USAF, the first female pilot selected for the astronaut corps, served as pilot of the first Space Shuttle flight to rendezvous with the Russian Mir space station on STS-63, February 2-11, 1995.

From June 22 to July 7, 1995, Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D., Ellen Baker, M.D., and other crewmembers were the first to dock with the Russian space station.

In 1996, Shannon Lucid, Ph.D., broke the record for the longest time spent in space by an American. She was the first woman to be awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, presented by the President.

In March 1998, the First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton announced NASA's first female commander, Astronaut Lt. Col. Eileen Collins (USAF).

On October 29, 1998, for the first time in the history of spaceflight, the launch commentator, Lisa Malone; the ascent commentator, Eileen Hawley; flight director, Linda Hamm; and Cap Com, Susan Still; were all women. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the flight control team for STS-95 was women.

In 1998, Gretchen McClain leads space flight development and the International Space Station.

On December 5, 1998, Astronaut Nancy J. Currie used the Space Shuttle's remote manipulator arm to mate the U.S.-built Unity module and the Russian-built Zarya, completing the first task in assembling the new International Space Station.