Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Marsha Ivins!

Marsha Ivins, born April 15, 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland, is a veteran of five space shuttle flights.

Her first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-32) as mission specialist in January 1990, the first mission of the 1990s.

Her second flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-46) as mission specialist in July-August 1992.  One of the objectives of the mission was to deploy the NASA/Italian Space Agency joint project, the Tethered Satellite System (TSS).

Her third flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-62) as mission specialist in March 1994.  During the mission, she spoke with students at Bronx High School of Science, who asked her questions about experiments being conducted in space.

Her fourth flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-81) as mission specialist in January 1997 to the space station Mir.  It was the fifth space shuttle mission mission to Mir.

Her fifth and final flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-98) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in February 2001.  The crew delivered the Destiny Laboratory Module to the ISS.

Columbia (STS-62) launched 1994

STS-62 crew

Front row (L-R): Andrew Allen, John Casper

Back row (L-R): Charles Gemar, Marsha Ivins, Pierre Thuot

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-62), launched March 4, 1994, was a continuation of microgravity experiments.  Its crew consisted of Commander John Casper, Pilot Andrew Allen, Pierre J. Thuot, Charles Gemar, and Marsha Ivins.

They returned to Earth March 18.

Atlantis (STS-98) launched 2001

STS-98 crew (L-R): Robert Curbeam, Mark Polansky, Marsha Ivins, Kenneth Cockrell and Thomas Jones

STS-98 Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-98), launched February 7, 2001, was the first flight of the twenty-first century.  Its crew consisted of Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky, Robert Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Thomas Jones.  The mission delivered the Destiny Laboratory Module to the International Space Station and was installed during three EVAs by Tom Jones and Robert Curbeam. 

They returned to Earth February 20.

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-81) launched 1997

STS-81 crew

Front row (L-R):  Front: Brent Jett, Michael Baker; 

Back Row (L-R): John Grunsfeld, John Blaha, Peter Wisoff, Jerry Linenger, Marsha Ivins

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-81), launched January 12, 1997, was the fifth mission to the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Michael Baker, Pilot Brent Jett, Peter Wisoff, John Gunsfeld, Marsha Ivins and Jerry Linenger.

Linenger stayed on board Mir as part of Expedition EO-22 and John Blaha returned with the rest of the crew January 22. Linenger became the third American to live on Mir.  Blaha had spent 118 days aboard.

Columbia (STS-32) launched 1990

Clockwise from top left: Marsha Ivins, David Low, Bonnie Dunbar, James Wetherbee, Daniel Brandenstein.

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-32), launched January 9, 1990,  was the 33rd mission of the shuttle program.  It was the first use of Launch Pad A at Kennedy Space Center's Complex 39 since 1986 after the platform went through extensive modifications.

Columbia's crew consisted of Commander Daniel Brandenstein, Pilot James Wetherbee, Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar, Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins and Mission Specialist David Low.

Columbia landed on January 20 at Edwards Air Force Base.

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-46) launched 1992

Claude Nicolllier, Franklin  Chang-Diaz, Ranco Malerba

Space Shuttle Atlantis took off Juy 31, 1992, mission STS-46, carrying Claude Nicollier, the first Swiss astronaut, Franklin Ramon Chang-Diza, the first Costa Rican astronaut and Franco Malerba, the first Italian astronaut.

Commander Loren J. Shriver, Pilot Andrew M. Allen, Mission Specialist 2 Marsha S. Ivins and Mission Specialist 3 Jeffrey A.  Hoffman completed the crew.

The mission marked the 150th human spaceflight to reach orbit.