Karen L. Nyberg
Encyclopedia
Karen LuJean Nyberg is an American
mechanical engineer and NASA
astronaut
. Nyberg was the 50th woman in space.
, Minnesota. She is married to astronaut Douglas Hurley. They have a son. Her recreational interests include running, sewing, drawing and painting, backpacking, piano, and spending time with her family. Karen’s parents, Kenneth & Phyllis Nyberg, still reside in Vining.
from the University of North Dakota
in 1994. She continued her collegiate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. There her graduate research was centered on human thermoregulation and experimental metabolic testing and control, focusing on the control of thermal neutrality in space suits. This work, performed at the Austin BioHeat Transfer Laboratory, led to her doctorate in 1998.
.jpg)
She was selected as an Astronaut Candidate by NASA in July 2000 and after two years of training and evaluation, she qualified as a Mission Specialist and was assigned for technical duties in the Astronaut Office Station Operations Branch where she served as Crew Support Astronaut for the Expedition 6
crew during their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station
. In July 2006, Nyberg took part in NEEMO 10, a deep-sea training and simulation exercise at the Aquarius
underwater laboratory
to help NASA prepare for the return of astronauts to the moon
and eventual manned missions to Mars
. Nyberg and her crewmates lived and worked underwater for seven days.
Nyberg was assigned to the crew of STS-124
which flew to the International Space Station in May 2008. This was the second of three flights to launch components to complete the Japanese Kibō
laboratory. In May 2009, she had been assigned to the crew of the STS-132
mission, which launched in May 2010; however, she had to be replaced three months later due to a temporary medical condition. Nyberg was assigned to a technical role while she awaits a future assignment.
Dr. Nyberg has been assigned to the Expedition 36
crew as a flight engineer and is scheduled to fly to the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-09M
in May 2013.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mechanical engineer and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. Nyberg was the 50th woman in space.
Personal
Karen Nyberg's hometown is ViningVining, Minnesota
Vining is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 78 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Minnesota. She is married to astronaut Douglas Hurley. They have a son. Her recreational interests include running, sewing, drawing and painting, backpacking, piano, and spending time with her family. Karen’s parents, Kenneth & Phyllis Nyberg, still reside in Vining.
Education
Dr. Nyberg graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in 1994. She continued her collegiate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. There her graduate research was centered on human thermoregulation and experimental metabolic testing and control, focusing on the control of thermal neutrality in space suits. This work, performed at the Austin BioHeat Transfer Laboratory, led to her doctorate in 1998.
NASA career
She worked at Johnson Space Center from 1991 to 1995 and received a patent for work she completed in 1991 on Robot Friendly Probe and Socket Assembly. In 1998, on completing her doctorate, she accepted a position with the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, working as an Environmental Control Systems Engineer to improve space suit thermal control systems and evaluate firefighter suit cooling technologies. She also provided conceptual designs of the thermal control system for the Advanced Mars and Lunar Lander Mission studies, and environmental control system analysis for a collapsible hyperbaric chamber.Expedition 6
Expedition 6 was the sixth expedition to the International Space Station. It was the last three man crew to reside on the station until the arrival of STS-121...
crew during their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. In July 2006, Nyberg took part in NEEMO 10, a deep-sea training and simulation exercise at the Aquarius
Aquarius (laboratory)
The NOAA Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, adjacent to Conch Reef. It is one of the few underwater research facilities in the world dedicated to science...
underwater laboratory
Underwater habitat
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping...
to help NASA prepare for the return of astronauts to the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and eventual manned missions to Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. Nyberg and her crewmates lived and worked underwater for seven days.
Nyberg was assigned to the crew of STS-124
STS-124
STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008, and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15...
which flew to the International Space Station in May 2008. This was the second of three flights to launch components to complete the Japanese Kibō
Kibo
Kibo may refer to:*Kibo , Japanese Experiment Module , component of the International Space Station*Kibo , volcanic cone forming the main summit of Mount Kilimanjaro...
laboratory. In May 2009, she had been assigned to the crew of the STS-132
STS-132
STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated...
mission, which launched in May 2010; however, she had to be replaced three months later due to a temporary medical condition. Nyberg was assigned to a technical role while she awaits a future assignment.
Dr. Nyberg has been assigned to the Expedition 36
Expedition 36
Expedition 36 is scheduled to be the thirty-sixth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:Sources:NASA-External links:*...
crew as a flight engineer and is scheduled to fly to the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-09M
Soyuz TMA-09M
Soyuz TMA-09M is a planned 2013 flight to the International Space Station. It will transport three members of the Expedition 36 crew to the International Space Station. TMA-09M will be the 118th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, the first flight launching in 1967...
in May 2013.