Belleville native to be inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame
Veteran astronaut and Belleville native Dr. Sandra Magnus will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in June, according to the Kennedy Space Center. Only 101 people have received the honor.
Magnus was first selected to the NASA Astronaut Corps in April 1996, after graduating from the Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in physics in 1986 and earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1990. In 1996, she received a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech.
Between 1986 and 1991, Magnus worked as a stealth engineer on the Navy’s A-12 Attack Aircraft program. She was in the NASA Astronaut Corps for 16 years.
In 2002, she flew her first space mission aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis, and 2011 flew on Discovery. In November 2008, she flew to the International Space Station where she served as flight engineer and science officer. She returned home after four and a half months.
After her assignment at the International Space Station, Magnus served at NASA Headquarters in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. At NASA, she worked with international agencies in Europe, Canada and Japan. She also worked in Russia, developing and integrating operational products and procedures in preparation for the beginning of ISS operations.
During the course of her career, Magnus has worked as Deputy Director of Engineering in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for the Undersecretary of Research and Engineering and served as the Executive Director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Magnus is currently the Principal at AstroPlanetview LLC and a part time Professor of the Practice at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a member of several technical advisory boards and is active as an independent consultant in the aerospace industry.
Magnus heads the Board of AstraFemina, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting girls with women working in science, technology, engineering and math to be a role model, and is a member of the NASA Aerospace Advisory Panel.
She has been awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service and the 40 at 40 Award, which is given to former collegiate women athletes to recognize the impact of Title IX.
Capt. David Leestma and Capt. Chris Ferguson are also being inducted alongside Magnus.
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was started more than 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 1:36 PM.
