Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Kathryn Hire!

Kathryn "Kay" Hire, born August 29, 1959 in Mobile, Alabama, has been in space twice.  After getting her Bachelor of Science at the US Naval Academy, she got her Master of Science degree in Space Technology just up the road here at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida!  She was the first employee of the Kennedy Space Center to be chosen as an astronaut candidate.

Her first mission was aboard Columbia (STS-90) as mission specialist in April-May 1998.  It was the final flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab module.

Her second and last flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in February 2010.  The primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic controls station with six windows, providing a 360° view around the ISS.

Columbia (STS-90) launched 1998

STS-90 crew

Front row (L-R): Scott Altman, Richard Searfoss

Last row (L-R): James Pawelczyk, Richard Linnehan, Kathryn Hire, Davydd Williams, Jay Buckey

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-90), launched April 17, 1998, was the final flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab laboratory module.  Its crew consisted of Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Dafydd Williams (CSA), Kathryn Hire, Richard Linnehan, Jay Buckey and James Pawelczyk.

The mission continued the exploration of the effects of microgravity on the human nervous system.  The crew returned to Earth on May 3.

Endeavour (STS-130) launched 2010

STS-130 mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130), launched February 8, 2010, was the 10th flight of Endeavour to the International Space Station. Its crew consisted of Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts, Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken.

Patrick and Behnken performed 3 EVAs during the mission for a total of 18 1/2 hours.

They returned to Earth on February 22.