Astronaut Biography: Pamela Ann Melroy

NAME: Pamela Ann Melroy
Colonel,USAF, Ret.
NASA Astronaut

PERSONALDATA: Born September 17, 1961, in Palo Alto, California. Married to Douglas W. Hollett. ConsidersRochester, New York, to be her hometown. Pam enjoys theatre, tap and jazzdancing, reading, cooking, and flying. Her parents, David and Helen Melroy,reside in upstate New York.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Bishop Kearney High School, Rochester, New York, in 1979. Bachelor of science degree in physics andastronomy from Wellesley College, 1983. Master of science degree in earth & planetarysciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Wellesley CollegeBoard of Trustees, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Order of Daedalians,and the 99s.

SPECIALHONORS:Recipient of the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster;Air Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster; Aerial Achievement Medal, First Oak LeafCluster; and Expeditionary Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster

EXPERIENCE: Melroy was commissioned through theAir Force ROTC program in 1983. After completing a masters degree, she attendedUndergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas and was graduated in 1985. She flew the KC-10 for six yearsat Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, as a copilot, aircraft commanderand instructor pilot. Melroy is a veteran of JUST CAUSE and DESERTSHIELD/DESERT STORM, with over 200 combat and combat support hours. In June1991, she attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Upon her graduation, she wasassigned to the C-17 Combined Test Force, where she served as a test pilotuntil her selection for the astronaut program. She has logged over 5,000 hoursflight time in over 45 different aircraft. Melroy retired from the Air Force inFebruary 2007.

NASAEXPERIENCE:Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in December 1994, Melroy reported tothe Johnson Space Center in March 1995. She completed a yearof training and evaluation and is qualified for flight assignment as a shuttlepilot. Initially assigned to astronaut support duties for launch and landing,she has also worked Advanced Projects for the Astronaut Office. Melroy servedon the Columbia Reconstruction Team as the lead for the crew module. She servedas deputy project manager for a crew survival investigation team and alsoperformed CAPCOM duties in mission control. Melroy served as pilot on twoflights ( STS-92 in 2000 and STS-112 in 2002), and has logged over 562 hours inspace. Melroy is assigned to command the STS-120 mission that will deliver theNode 2 connecting module to the International Space Station.

SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-92 Discovery (October 11-24, 2000) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the 13-day flight, theseven member crew attached the Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 to theInternational Space Station using Discovery?srobotic arm and performed four space walks to configure these elements. Thisexpansion of the ISS opened the door for future assembly missions and preparedthe station for its first resident crew. The STS-92 mission was accomplished in202 orbits, traveling 5.3 million miles in 12 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes and 25seconds.

STS-112 Atlantis (October 7-18, 2002) launched from and returned to land at the Kennedy SpaceCenter, Florida. STS-112 was an International Space Station assembly missionduring which the crew conducted joint operations with the Expedition-5 bydelivering and installing the S-One Truss (the third piece of the station's11-piece Integrated Truss Structure). It took three spacewalks to outfit andactivate the new component. The crew also transferred cargo between the twovehicles and used the shuttle's thruster jets during two maneuvers to raise thestation's orbit. STS-112 was the first shuttle mission to use a camera on theExternal Tank, providing a live view of the launch to flight controllers andNASA TV viewers. The mission was accomplished in 170 orbits, traveling 4.5million miles in 10 days, 19 hours, and 58 minutes.

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