Learning Center Our Enshrinees

Peggy Whitson

• Earned a B.S. in Biology/Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry.
• Before becoming an astronaut, she worked extensively with NASA in various capacities including: Research Biochemist, Biomedical Operations and Research Branch, NASA’s Johnson Space Center (1989-1993); Project Scientist, Shuttle-Mir Program (1992-1995); Deputy Division Chief of the Medical Sciences Division, Johnson Space Center (1993-1996); Co-Chair, U.S.–Russian Mission Science Working Group (1995-1996).
• Selected as an Astronaut Candidate in 1996. Served as: lead for Crew Test Support Team in Russia (1998-1999); the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office (2003-2005); Chief, Station Operations Branch, Astronaut Office (March 2005–Nov. 2005); Member, Astronaut Selection Board (2004); Chair, Astronaut Selection Board (2009).
• First female, non-military Chief of the Astronaut Corps (2009-2012), responsible for mission preparation and on-orbit support for all ISS crews; organized all crew interface support for future heavy-lift launches and commercially provided transport vehicles.
• During her multiple NASA spaceflights, she spent a total of 665 days in space:
  • Expedition 5: installed the Mobile Base System, S1 Truss Segment, and P1 Truss Segment; became the first NASA Science Officer and conducted 21 experiments in human life and microgravity sciences.
  • Expedition 16: served as Commander (first female commander of the ISS), overseeing expansion of the International Space Station’s living and working space; performed five spacewalks.
  • Expedition 50/51/52: spent 290 days in space; conducted hundreds of science experiments; participated in six spacewalks along with her crew.
  • Holds the record for most cumulative hours in space of any U.S. astronaut and of any woman astronaut in the world. 
• Retired from NASA in 2018 and joined Axiom Space as the commander for the Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 4; she returned to the ISS as the first woman to command a private spaceflight. She became Axiom’s director of human spaceflight.