Susan J. Helms
- STS -54 (1993)
- STS -64 ( 1994)
- STS -78 (1996)
- STS- 101 (2000)
- STS-102/STS-105 (2001) ISS Expedition 2
Susan Jane " Sue " Helms ( born February 26, 1958 in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States) is a former American astronaut.
Training
Helms graduated 1976, the Rose Park Senior High School in Portland (Oregon ). She received a bachelor's degree in 1980 in aeronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy. 1985 she studied at Stanford University, a master's degree in aerospace engineering.
Astronauts activity
With the Space Shuttle Endeavour Helms started as mission specialist on 13 January 1993 on mission STS - 54th Main objectives of this mission were exposing the $ 200 million Tracking and Data Relay Satellite ( TDRS -F) and attempts to X-ray astronomy with the Diffuse X -ray Spectrometer ( DXS ).
On September 9, 1994, aboard the space shuttle Discovery on mission STS -64. During this mission, the laser optical radar system LITE were tested. A further object was the launching and recovering of astronomical research satellites SPARTAN -201, a free- flying satellites to investigate the solar wind and the solar corona.
As Nutzlastkommandantin helmet flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia ( STS -78 ) to the hitherto longest flight of a space shuttle (16d 21h 48m ). Task were microgravity experiments in the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS ), which were needed as a basis for future experiments on the International Space Station (ISS).
With the mission STS -101 about 1500 kg of equipment, hardware and supplies for the planned first permanent crew of the ISS using the Spacehab and the Integrated Cargo Carrier ( ICC) were transported. Helms served as a mission specialist for rendezvous with the ISS. She was also responsible for the repair of the first module Zarya ISS.
Helms worked as a member of the ISS Expedition 2 for 163 days on the ISS. You aboard the space shuttle Discovery (STS -102) on 8 March 2001 to the Space Station. The crew of Expedition 2 installed and tested the Canadian-built ISS robotic arm. Moreover installed Helms, brought to the mission STS -104 airlock Quest. On August 22, 2001 Helms returned to the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS -105 ) back to Earth.
On March 11, 2001, she presented with the longest outboard activity (8h 56m ) to a record.
According to the NASA
On 27 June 2002 Helms left the U.S. space agency and took her active duty in the U.S. Air Force again. They went to the Air Force Space Command, located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. There she was Head of Department of Space Control Division. Then she came to Florida and stood until February 2005 the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral as Vizekommandantin ago. Then she was deputy for pilot training at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. With the promotion to brigadier general on June 23, 2006 she took over the leadership of the 45th Space Wing and was responsible for all starts from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
With her promotion to major general on August 2, 2009 Helms moved to the United States Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. On January 21, 2011, she was promoted to lieutenant general.