Spaceflight Now: STS-92 Mission Report

Pamela Ann Melroy (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF)
NASA BIOGRAPHY
Posted: September 16, 2000

PERSONAL DATA: Born September, 17, 1961, in Palo Alto, California. Considers Rochester, New York, to be her hometown. Married to Christopher Wallace of Wilton, Connecticut. She enjoys theatre, tap and jazz dancing, reading, cooking, 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 and astronomy from Wellesley College, 1983. Master of science degree in earth & planetary sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984.

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

SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster; Air Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster; Aerial Achievement Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster; and Expeditionary Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster.

EXPERIENCE: Melroy was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program in 1983. After completing a masters degree, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas and was graduated in 1985. She flew the KC-10 for six years at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, as a copilot, aircraft commander and instructor pilot. Melroy is a veteran of JUST CAUSE and DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM, with over 200 combat and combat support hours. In June 1991, she attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Upon her graduation, she was assigned to the C-17 Combined Test Force, where she served as a test pilot until her selection for the astronaut program. She has logged over 4,000 hours flight time in over 45 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in December 1994, Melroy reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. She completed a year of training and evaluation and is qualified for flight assignment as a shuttle pilot. Initially assigned to astronaut support duties for launch and landing, she has also worked Advanced Projects for the Astronaut Office. Melroy is currently assigned as pilot on STS-92, the third Space Shuttle mission to assemble the International Space Station, scheduled for launch in mid 2000.

Melroy