Retired NASA astronaut Mary Cleave, a veteran of 2 NASA spaceflights, died Nov. 27. She used to be 76. A scientist with coaching in civil and environmental engineering, in addition to organic sciences and microbial ecology, Cleave used to be the primary girl to function an affiliate administrator for NASA’s Science Project Directorate.
Born in Southampton, New York, Cleave gained a Bachelor of Science stage in organic sciences from Colorado State College, Fortress Collins, in 1969, and Grasp of Science in microbial ecology and a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering, each from Utah State College, Logan, in 1975 and 1979, respectively.
“I’m unhappy we’ve misplaced path blazer Dr. Mary Cleave, travel astronaut, veteran of 2 spaceflights, and primary girl to steer the Science Project Directorate as affiliate administrator,” mentioned NASA Affiliate Administrator Bob Cabana. “Mary used to be a pressure of nature with a keenness for science, exploration, and taking good care of our house planet. She can be overlooked.”
Cleave used to be decided on as an astronaut in Might 1980. Her technical assignments integrated flight instrument verification within the SAIL (Travel Avionics Integration Laboratory), spacecraft communicator on 5 house travel flights, and malfunctions procedures ebook and staff apparatus design.
Cleave introduced on her first undertaking, STS-61B, aboard house travel Atlantis on Nov. 26,1985. All over the flight, the staff deployed communications satellites, performed two six-hour spacewalks to exhibit house station building ways, operated the Steady Float Electrophoresis experiment for McDonnell Douglas and a Getaway Particular container for Telesat and examined the Orbiter Experiments Virtual Autopilot.
Cleave’s 2d undertaking, STS-30, which additionally used to be on Atlantis, introduced Might 4, 1989. It used to be a four-day flight all through which the staff effectively deployed the Magellan Venus exploration spacecraft, the primary planetary probe to be deployed from an area travel. Magellan arrived at Venus in August 1990 and mapped greater than 95% of the outside. As well as, the staff additionally labored on secondary payloads involving indium crystal enlargement, electric storms, and Earth commentary research.
Cleave transferred from NASA’s Johnson Area Middle in Houston to the company’s Goddard Area Flight Middle in Greenbelt, Maryland in Might 1991. There, she labored within the Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes because the venture supervisor for SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing, Broad-Box-of-view-Sensor), an ocean colour sensor which monitored plants globally.
In March 2000, she went to function deputy affiliate administrator for complex making plans within the Administrative center of Earth Science at NASA’s Headquarters in Washington. From August 2005 to February 2007, Cleave used to be the affiliate administrator for NASA’s Science Project Directorate the place she guided an array of analysis and clinical exploration methods for planet Earth, house climate, the sun machine, and the universe. She additionally oversaw an collection of grant-based analysis methods and a various constellation of spacecraft, from small, major investigator-led missions to very large flagship missions.
Cleave’s awards integrated: two NASA Area Flight medals; two NASA Outstanding Carrier medals; an American Astronautical Society Flight Success Award; a NASA Outstanding Success Medal; and NASA Engineer of the 12 months.
Cleave retired from NASA in February 2007.
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Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
Courtney Beasley
Johnson Area Middle, Houston
281-483-5111
courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov
