Mary Cleave was a NASA astronaut who went to space twice on Space Shuttle Atlantis in the 1980s.
- Died: November 27, 2023 (Who else died on November 27?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 76.
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Mary Cleave’s legacy
Cleave had a background in science and worked in academia before joining NASA. She worked at Utah State University’s Utah Water Research Laboratory for almost a decade before learning that NASA was seeking scientists and applying for a spot there. Cleave joined NASA in 1980 and took her first spaceflight in 1985 on a mission that included deploying new communications satellites and performing various scientific experiments. She was the 10th woman in space.
When Cleave returned to space on Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1989, she was the first woman to fly a NASA Space Shuttle mission since the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986, which had called into question the future of the space shuttle program. The 1989 mission was a success, and the crew deployed the Venus-exploration spacecraft Magellan.
Though she had an opportunity for a third spaceflight, Cleave chose to stay on Earth and focus on environmental concerns. She moved on to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where she worked on the SeaWiFs ocean-monitoring project. Later, she became the first woman to lead NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, overseeing the space agency’s scientific research.
Cleave’s advice for young women
“Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries because you might be surprised by what you find. Follow your passions and your interests.” —from a 2019 interview for Connected Aviation Today
Tributes to Mary Cleave
Full obituary: NASA
