Tamara E. Jernigan
Encyclopedia
Tamara Elizabeth "Tammy" Jernigan, Ph.D. (born May 7, 1959, in Chattanooga, Tennessee
) is an American
scientist and former NASA
astronaut
and a veteran of five shuttle missions.
in Santa Fe Springs, CA. She graduated in 1977. Jernigan attended Stanford University
, where she earned a B.S. degree in physics in 1981, an M.S. in engineering science in 1983. At the University of California, Berkeley
, she received an M.A. in astronomy in 1985. In 1988 she was awarded a Ph.D. in space physics and astronomy from Rice University
.
She entered the NASA
Astronaut Corps in 1986 and retired in 2001. She flew on five Space Shuttle program
missions (three on Columbia
and one each on Endeavour
and Discovery
) and logged 1512 hours in space. In her last mission on Discovery in 1999, she performed an extra-vehicular activity
for about eight hours.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scientist and former NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and a veteran of five shuttle missions.
Education
Jernigan attended Santa Fe High SchoolSanta Fe High School (California)
Santa Fe High School is a public high school located in Santa Fe Springs, California. The school has an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students and is a part of the Whittier Union High School District. The school's current principal is Kevin Jamero....
in Santa Fe Springs, CA. She graduated in 1977. Jernigan attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where she earned a B.S. degree in physics in 1981, an M.S. in engineering science in 1983. At the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, she received an M.A. in astronomy in 1985. In 1988 she was awarded a Ph.D. in space physics and astronomy from Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
.
NASA career
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Astronaut Corps in 1986 and retired in 2001. She flew on five Space Shuttle program
Space Shuttle program
NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
missions (three on Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
and one each on Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger...
and Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
) and logged 1512 hours in space. In her last mission on Discovery in 1999, she performed an extra-vehicular activity
Extra-vehicular activity
Extra-vehicular activity is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft. The term most commonly applies to an EVA made outside a craft orbiting Earth , but also applies to an EVA made on the surface of the Moon...
for about eight hours.