Anne McClain

Anne C. McClain
NASA Astronaut
Nationality American
Status Active
Born (1979-06-07) June 7, 1979
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Other occupation
 Combat pilot and test pilot
U.S. Military Academy
University of Bath
University of Bristol
Rank Lieutenant colonel, United States Army
Selection 2013 NASA Group
Awards Bronze Star Medal

Anne Charlotte McClain (born June 7, 1979) is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army currently assigned to NASA Astronaut Group 21.[1]

Education

Anne McClain was born and raised in Spokane, Washington.[1] She has always wanted to be an astronaut since her earliest age.[2] McClain graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, where she earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 2002.[1] She then attended the University of Bath, where she earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering in 2004, and the University of Bristol, where she earned a master's degree in international security in 2005.[3] Both master's degrees were completed through a Marshall Scholarship.[1]

Competitive sports

McClain is an avid rugby player who has played at a competitive level in Women's Premiership, the top level of the sport in England, and for the United States women's national rugby union team, known as the Women's Eagles.[3] While her U.S. Army commitments thwarted her international career in rugby and prevented her participation in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup, she credits the sport for her success in becoming an astronaut.[4]

Military and space career

Following her studies, McClain qualified as an Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot and flew 1600 hours and 216 combat missions during a 15 months deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.[3] She also served as a command squadron intelligence officer.[3] McClain graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School in June 2013.[1] In total, McClain has logged over 2,000 hours on various aircraft type including the Kiowa Warrior, the Beechcraft C-12 Huron, the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, and the Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota.[1]

In June 2013, the same month as her graduation as a test pilot, McClain was selected by NASA as part of Astronaut Group 21, becoming the youngest astronaut on the NASA roster.[5] She completed training in July 2015, making her available for future missions.[6]

McClain was scheduled to launch to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 58/59, where she replaced fellow NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, who instead launched earlier with Expedition 56/57 due to personnel reassignments. McClain was to launch onboard Soyuz MS-11 with Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko.[7] The launch should have taken place at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 20, 2018.[7] The launch was delayed indefinitely after the failure of Soyuz MS-10 with Expedition 57/58 on October 11, 2018.[8]

Awards

McClain is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal with Valor device, two additional Air Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and three Overseas Service Ribbons.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ""Anne C. McClain"". nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Living the dream: Soldiers selected as NASA astronaut candidates - Soldiers Magazine". DODLive. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Badass Lady Astronaut Candidates: Meet NASA's Class of 2013". AutoStraddle.com. September 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  4. ↑ Brooks, Ashley (June 15, 2018). "From Eagle to Astronaut". usarugby.org. USA Rugby. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  5. ↑ ""Anne C. McClain" (PDF). nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  6. ↑ ""NASA's Newest Astronauts Complete Training". nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Future Expeditions". nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved August 16, 2018. Expedition 58-59; Launch: Dec. 20, 2018; Crew: Oleg Kononenko, David Saint-Jacques, Anne McClain
  8. ↑ "2 astronauts safe after Soyuz forced to make emergency landing". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
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