Shannon Walker | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Walker in 2020 | |
| Born | (1965-06-04)June 4, 1965 (age 60) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | Rice University (BS,MS,PhD) |
| Spouse | Andy Thomas |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
Time in space | 330d 13h 40m |
| Selection | NASA Group 19 (2004) |
| Missions | Soyuz TMA-19 (Expedition 24/25) SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65) |
Mission insignia |      |
| Retirement | July 10, 2025 |
Shannon Walker (born June 4, 1965) is an American physicist and a formerNASAastronaut selected in 2004. She launched on her first mission into space on June 25, 2010, on boardSoyuz TMA-19 and spent over 163 days in space.[1]
She returned to space for her second long-duration mission on November 15, 2020, on boardSpaceX Crew-1, the first operational flight ofSpaceX'sCrew Dragon spacecraft.
Walker was born in Southwest Houston, where she graduated fromWestbury High School in 1983.
She studiedphysics atRice University in Texas, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in physics in 1987.
Walker began her professional career with the Rockwell Space Operations Company at theJohnson Space Center later that year as a robotics flight controller for theSpace Shuttle program. She worked several Space Shuttle missions as a flight controller in theMission Control Center, includingSTS-27,STS-32,STS-51,STS-56,STS-60,STS-61, andSTS-66.
From 1990 to 1993, Walker took a leave of absence fromJohnson Space Center to attend graduate school, where her area of study was the solar wind interaction with theVenusian atmosphere.[2] She received a Master of Science and a PhD in Space Physics from Rice University in 1992 and 1993.[2]
In 1995, she joined the NASA civil service and began working in theInternational Space Station (ISS) Program at the Johnson Space Center.
Walker worked in robotics integration, working with the ISS International Partners to design and build the robotics hardware for the Space Station. In 1998, she joined the ISS Mission Evaluation Room (MER) as a manager for coordinating on-orbit problem resolution for the ISS.
In 1999, Walker moved toMoscow to work with theRussian Space Agency and its contractors in avionics integration and integrated problem solving for the ISS. She returned to Houston in 2000 and became the technical lead for the ISS MER and the Deputy Manager of the On-Orbit Engineering Office. Later, she became Acting Manager of the On-Orbit Engineering Office.[2]
In May 2004, Walker was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate as part of the 19th class of astronauts. In February 2006, she completed Astronaut Candidate Training, including scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training,T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Completion of this initial training qualified her for various technical assignments within the Astronaut Office and future flight assignment as a mission specialist.[2]
On September 19, 2011, NASA announced that Walker would command theNEEMO 15 undersea exploration mission aboard theAquariusunderwater laboratory from October 17–30, 2011.[3] Delayed by stormy weather and high seas, the mission began on October 20, 2011.[4][5] On the afternoon of October 21, Walker and her crew officially becameaquanauts, having spent over 24 hours underwater. NEEMO 15 ended early on October 26 due to the approach ofHurricane Rina.[4]
In 2017 Walker served as backup for NASA astronautJoe Acaba forExpedition 53/54, and she herself was scheduled to launch on boardSoyuz MS-12 in early 2019 and serve onExpedition 59/60. She was removed from the flight and replaced withChristina Koch well before launch.
Walker was assigned as backup to NASA AstronautJeff Williams for ISSExpedition 21/22, directly serving as backup commander for Expedition 22. Following the launch of Expedition 21/22 onSoyuz TMA-16 in September 2009, Walker was assigned to the prime crew ofExpedition 24/25.[6]
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On June 15, 2010, Walker launched on boardSoyuz TMA-19, alongside fellow NASA astronautDouglas Wheelock andRoscosmos cosmonautFyodor Yurchikhin. Two days later the trio rendezvoused with the ISS and docked to theZvezda module, officially becoming partExpedition 24 crew.[7] During Expedition 24, Walker and her two Soyuz TMA-19 counterparts made a 30-minute excursion inside of their Soyuz to move from the Zvezda module to the newRassvet module, which had been delivered on boardSTS-132 duringthe previous Expedition. The three became the first crewmembers to dock with the new module.[8]
Upon the departure of the crew ofSoyuz TMA-18 on September 25, 2010, Walker and her two crewmates became part of Expedition 25. They were soon joined by the three crew members on boardSoyuz TMA-01M. On November 26, 2010, Walker, Wheelock and Yurchikin departed the ISS on board Soyuz TMA-19 and began their return home. The three returned to Earth at 04:46 UTC on November 26, 2010, 78 kilometers fromArkalyk,Kazakhstan.[9]
On March 31, 2020, NASA announced Walker would be returning to space for her second spaceflight on boardUSCV-1, the first operational flight ofSpaceX'sCrew Dragon spacecraft and the first operational flight of theCommercial Crew Program. Walker launched on November 15, 2020. She and her three crewmates spent 167 days aboard the ISS as part ofExpedition 64/65.
The crew, including Walker as mission specialist, docked to the ISS and join the Expedition 64 crew in November, alongside Russian cosmonauts, commanderSergey Ryzhikov andSergey Kud-Sverchkov, as well as NASA astronautKathleen Rubins. When the Soyuz MS-17 crew left the station, in April 2021, Walker and her three crewmates transferred over to Expedition 65, with Walker taking command of the expedition, becoming only the third female ISS commander and the shortest commander of ISS, serving only for approximately 11 days.
Shannon Walker retired fromNASA on July 10, 2025, concluding a distinguished career that spanned 38 years, including more than 30 years of federal service and over 21 years as a NASA astronaut.
During her time at NASA, Walker flew on two long-duration missions and accumulated a total of 330 days in space. Her work contributed to numerous scientific investigations andtechnology demonstrations aboard theInternational Space Station.
In her later years at NASA, she served in leadership roles, including deputychief of the Astronaut Office, where she helped overseeastronaut training and operations. Her retirement was officially announced in July 2025, marking the end of a career noted for technical expertise, pioneering spaceflight achievements, and mentorship within theastronaut corps.[10]
Goethe Institute Scholarship for Study Abroad, Rice Fellowship for Graduate Study, Rockwell Sustained Superior Performance Award; seven Group Achievement Awards for work in the International Space Station (ISS) Program; three Going the Extra Mile Awards for work in the ISS Program; a Space Flight Awareness Award for contributions to the ISS Program; and nine Performance Bonus Awards.[2]
She is a member of theAircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and TheNinety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.
In 2022, SpaceX's Dragon support vesselGO Navigator was renamedShannon along withGO Searcher asMegan afterSpaceX Crew-2 astronaut,Megan McArthur.
Dr. Shannon Walker Library of theHouston Public Library (HPL), inWestbury,Houston, is named after her.[11]
She is married to retired NASA astronaut, Australian-bornAndy Thomas.[2]
Walker's recreational interests include cooking, soccer, running, weight training, flying, camping, and travel.[2]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.
| Preceded by | ISS Commander (Expedition 65) 15 to 27 April 2021 | Succeeded by |
NASA Astronaut Group 18 ← NASA Astronaut Group 19 →NASA Astronaut Group 20 | |||||||
| Pilots | |||||||
| Mission specialists | |||||||
| Educator mission specialists | |||||||
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