Kathryn Sullivan
Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan is an American geologist, oceanographer, former NASA astronaut, Navy Reserve officer, and public servant. Selected in NASA Astronaut Group 8 in 1978, she became the first American woman to perform a .
- Born
- October 3, 1951
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Paterson, New Jersey,United States
Flights
3
Spacewalks
1
EVA time
3 hours, 29 minutes
In space
22 days, 4 hours, 49 minutes
Bio
Sullivan entered NASA after graduate research in geology and oceanography. Her scientific background helped define her astronaut career, which included , spacecraft operations, and later leadership in oceanic and atmospheric science.
Her first spaceflight was STS-41-G in 1984 aboard Challenger. During that mission Sullivan and David Leestma performed an EVA to demonstrate orbital refueling techniques, making Sullivan the first American woman to walk in space.
She later flew STS-31, the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope, and STS-45, the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science mission. Those flights placed her at the center of both astronomy and Earth-science shuttle work.
After NASA, Sullivan led science institutions and served as NOAA Administrator. In 2020 she became the first woman to reach Challenger Deep, making her one of the few people whose exploration record spans both orbit and the deepest known point in the ocean.