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Jeanette Epps

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Jeanette Epps
Official portrait, September 2009
Born
Jeanette Jo Epps

(1970-11-03)November 3, 1970(age 53)
Syracuse, New York,U.S.
EducationLe Moyne College(BS)
University of Maryland, College Park(MS,PhD)
Space career
NASA astronaut
Time in space
121 days, 15 hours, 55 minutes[refresh]
(currently in space)
SelectionNASA Group 20 (2009)
MissionsSpaceX Crew-8(Expedition 70/71)
Mission insignia
Scientific career
FieldsAerospace engineering
ThesisIn-Flight Tracking of Helicopter Rotor Blades with Tabs Using Shape Memory Alloy Actuators(2000)
Doctoral advisorInderjit Chopra

Jeanette Jo Epps(born November 3, 1970) is an AmericanaerospaceengineerandNASAastronaut.[1][2][3]Epps received both her M. S. and Ph.D. degrees inaerospace engineeringfrom theUniversity of Maryland,where she was part of therotor-craftresearch group and was a NASA GSRP Fellow.[4][5]She was chosen for the 20th class of NASA astronauts in 2009, graduating in 2011.[1][4]Epps currently serves as a member of the ISS Operations Branch and has completed analog astronaut missions, includingNEEMO18 andCAVES19.[4][6][7][8][9][10]She is the second woman and first African-American woman to have participated in CAVES.[6][9][10]She is currently in space for a long duration mission on the ISS, after launch in 4 March 2024, as part of theSpaceX Crew-8crew.[11]

Early life and education[edit]

Jeanette Epps was born inSyracuse, New York,[1]one of seven children born to Henry and Luberta (néeJackson) Epps, Mississippians who moved to Syracuse as part of theGreat Migration.[12][13][14]She and her twin sister Janet excelled in math and science.[12]She graduated fromCorcoran High Schoolin Syracuse and earned aB.S.degree in physics fromLe Moyne Collegeand anM.S.and aPh.D.degree inaerospace engineeringfrom theUniversity of Maryland.[1][15][5][12][4][16][17]

Early research and career[edit]

While pursuing herM.S.andPh.Dat theUniversity of Maryland,Epps was awarded aNASAGRSP Fellowship and went on to publish many academic works which have been highly cited.[4][16]Her research was focused in the area ofmaterials engineering,which included comprehensive testing of composite swept-tip beams, comparison of analytical models with experimental results for shape memory alloys, and use of shape memory alloy actuators for tracking helicopter rotor blades in-flight.[4][18][19]

After graduating, Epps worked in research atFord Motor Company,then as a TechnicalIntelligence Officerwith theCentral Intelligence Agency.[15]Her work at theFord Motor Company,resulted in a provisional patent involving the application ofmagnetostrictiveactuators to reducevibrationsin the suspension control arms, and later, a US patent for detection of the location of a frontal collision in an automobile.[4][20]She worked at the CIA for seven years, including deployments to Iraq.[21]

NASA career[edit]

In June 2009, Epps was selected as an astronaut candidate[1]for the 20th class of NASA astronauts and later qualified in 2011.[15][4]Her training included extensive Russian, spacewalk (EVA) and robotics training, along with geology.[4]She has also completed T-38 jet training and has attended theNational Outdoor Leadership School(NOLS).[4]

Epps subsequently served as anaquanautaboard theAquariusunderwater laboratoryduring theNEEMO 18undersea exploration mission for nine days starting on July 21, 2014.[8][7]She has also participated in geologic studies in Hawaii.[4]Epps has worked with the Generic Joint Operation Panel as a representative, which included work on crew efficiency on theISS.[4]This work resulted in her winning the Johnson Space Center Director's Innovation Group Achievement Award in 2013.[4]She has also worked asCAPCOMforMission Control,including serving as lead CAPCOM, and currently serves in ISS Operations Branch.[5][4]Epps has also completed training in winter and water survival inStar City,Russia.[6]

On January 4, 2017, NASA announced that Epps would be assigned as a flight engineer to theInternational Space Stationin mid-2018 forExpeditions 56and57,but on January 16, 2018, NASA announced that Epps had been replaced by her backupSerena M. Auñón-Chancellorand would instead be "considered for assignment to future missions".[22]The reason for Epps' removal was not stated, and a NASA spokesperson said, "These decisions are personnel matters for which NASA doesn't provide information."[23]TheWashington Poststated that "Last-minute crew changes are not unusual at NASA,"[24][25][26]and she was later selected for subsequent missions to the International Space Station.

In 2019, Epps completed theESA CAVEStraining program simulating the demands of exploring unknown terrains like those of the Moon and Mars.[9][6][10][27]Epps is the second woman to participate in CAVES, following fellow NASA astronaut,Jessica Meir.[28][29][6][9][10]

Epps also speaks to gatherings and has done so at the University of Maryland multiple times, including at the 2013 winter commencement ceremony for the university's engineering school.[16][17][30][31]She is currently a Member of theSociety for Science & the Public,in addition to theAIAA.[4]Epps was a special guest at the77th World Science Fiction ConventioninDublin,Ireland.[32]

Jeanette Epps (right) speaking on a panel at Dublin 2019, an Irish Worldcon

On August 25, 2020, NASA announced that Epps would joinStarliner-1,the first operational mission of Boeing'sStarlinerto the International Space Station, which was delayed from its scheduled launch in the summer of 2021.[33][34]According toThe New York Times,the launch would have made Epps "the first Black woman to be part of an I.S.S. crew," a milestone that was ultimately reached instead byJessica Watkinsin 2022.[35][36][37]African-American astronauts were members of Space Shuttle crews to the ISS while the station was being constructed, but untilVictor Gloverwent to the station in May 2021, none had made an extended stay as a crew member.[38][37]

Epps began cross-training on theSpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraftas the Starliner-1 mission kept getting delayed.[39]

In August 2023, NASA announced that Epps would fly as a Mission Specialist onSpaceX Crew-8,a half-year mission to the ISS that launched on 4 March 2024.[11]The mission makes her the second black woman to be part of a long-duration mission at the ISS.[40]

Awards and honors[edit]

Honorary doctorates[edit]

Selected publications[edit]

Epps has authored several highly referenced works, including conference and journal papers from her graduate research, along with a patent from her work at the Ford Motor Company.[4][18]

  • Epps, J. and Chopra, I., "Methodology for In-flight Tracking of Helicopter Rotor Blades Using Shape Memory Alloy Actuators,Journal of the American Helicopter Society,Vol. 49, No. 2, April 2004, pp. 192-200.[18][19]
  • Epps, J. J., and Chandra, R., "Shape Memory Alloy Actuation for Active Tuning of Composite Beams,"Smart Materials and Structures Journal,6 (1997), p. 251-256.[18]
  • Epps, J. J., and Chandra, R., "The Natural Frequencies of Rotating Composite Beams with Tip Sweep,"Journal of the American Helicopter Society,Vol. 41, No. 1, January 1996, pp. 29–36.[18]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Public DomainThis article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.

  1. ^abcdeNASA HQ (June 29, 2009)."NASA Selects New Astronauts for Future Space Exploration".NASA.Archived fromthe originalon August 1, 2009.RetrievedJune 20,2013.
  2. ^NASA (June 29, 2009)."In Their Own Words: Jeanette J. Epps".NASA. Archived fromthe originalon October 28, 2009.RetrievedJune 20,2013.
  3. ^Lichter-Marck, Rose (July 29, 2016)."The Lenny Interview: Jeanette Epps".Lenny.Archived fromthe originalon February 1, 2017.RetrievedJuly 31,2016.
  4. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvWhiting, Melanie (February 18, 2016)."Jeanette J. Epps (PH.D.) NASA Astronaut".NASA.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  5. ^abcd"Jeanette J. Epps Oral History".NASA. February 16, 2012.RetrievedOctober 18,2015.
  6. ^abcde"Meet the cavenauts – Jeanette Epps".Caves & pangaea blog.September 12, 2019.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  7. ^abBergin, Chris (June 11, 2014)."NEEMO returns with two new underwater missions".NASASpaceflight.RetrievedJune 24,2014.
  8. ^ab"NASA Announces Two Upcoming Undersea Missions".NASA. June 10, 2014.RetrievedJune 26,2014.
  9. ^abcd"CAVES and Pangaea".www.esa.int.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  10. ^abcd"A new journey into Earth for space exploration".Caves & pangaea blog.September 11, 2019.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  11. ^ab"Space Station Assignments Out for NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Mission".August 5, 2023.RetrievedAugust 5,2023.
  12. ^abc"Syracuse native, a Le Moyne graduate, trains to be an astronaut".syracuse.com.RetrievedDecember 9,2017.
  13. ^"Mammie Jackson's Obituary on Syracuse Post Standard".Syracuse Post Standard.RetrievedDecember 9,2017.
  14. ^Epps, Mr Henry Harrison Jr. (June 14, 2015).Second Chance Connections Inc Handbook: Restoration Manuel.CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.ISBN9781514352489.
  15. ^abc"JEANETTE J. EPPS: Biographical data".NASA. May 2011.RetrievedFebruary 14,2014.
  16. ^abcde"Aero Alum and NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps speaks at UMD".aero.umd.edu.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  17. ^abHarless, Josh."Universe of Possibilities".Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2020.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  18. ^abcde"Google Scholar".scholar.google.com.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  19. ^abJeanette J Epps; Inderjit Chopra (February 2001)."In-flight tracking of helicopter rotor blades using shape memory alloy actuators".Smart Materials and Structures.10(1): 104–111.Bibcode:2001SMaS...10..104E.doi:10.1088/0964-1726/10/1/310.ISSN0964-1726.S2CID250829326.
  20. ^US 7321817,Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O.; Rao, Manoharprasad K. & Strumolo, Gary S. et al., "Automobile frontal collision location detection for coordinated activation of safety systems", published 2008-01-22, assigned toFord Global Technologies LLC
  21. ^"Nasa removes US astronaut from ISS mission".bbc.com.RetrievedJanuary 21,2018.
  22. ^Karen Northon (January 18, 2018)."NASA Announces Updated Crew Assignments for Space Station Missions".NASA press release 18-004.RetrievedJanuary 21,2017.
  23. ^"NASA removes astronaut Jeanette Epps, Syracuse high school grad, from flight crew".syracuse.com.RetrievedJanuary 21,2018.
  24. ^Kaplan, Sarah (January 22, 2018)."NASA pulled this astronaut from a space station crew. Her brother blames racism".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 23,2018.
  25. ^"NASA's Jeanette Epps' brother blames racism for why she got removed from her upcoming mission".Newsweek.January 21, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 23,2018.
  26. ^"NASA faces calls for reinstatement of first African American on International Space Station crew".Houston Chronicle.January 22, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 23,2018.
  27. ^Sauro, Francesco; De Waele, Jo; Payler, Samuel J.; Vattano, Marco; Sauro, Francesco Maria; Turchi, Leonardo; Bessone, Loredana (July 1, 2021)."Speleology as an analogue to space exploration: The ESA CAVES training programme".Acta Astronautica.184:150–166.Bibcode:2021AcAau.184..150S.doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.04.003.hdl:11585/819077.ISSN0094-5765.S2CID234819922.
  28. ^"Meet the cavenauts – Jeanette Epps – Caves & pangaea blog".RetrievedMay 21,2021.
  29. ^"A helping hand in the dark – Caves & pangaea blog".RetrievedMay 21,2021.
  30. ^"WIAA meets Jeanette Epps and Su Curley! – WIAA".blog.umd.edu.Archived fromthe originalon May 7, 2016.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  31. ^"Epps to Deliver Winter Commencement Speech".enme.umd.edu.RetrievedJuly 13,2020.
  32. ^"Dublin 2019-an Irish Worldcon: Special Guests".Dublin 2019.RetrievedMay 10,2024.
  33. ^Roston, Michael (June 2, 2023)."Boeing and NASA Delay Launch of Starliner Astronaut Spacecraft Again".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  34. ^Potter, Sean (August 25, 2020)."Astronaut Jeanette Epps Joins First Operational Boeing Crew Mission".NASA.RetrievedAugust 25,2020.
  35. ^Najib, Shafiq (April 27, 2022)."NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins Makes History as First Black Woman on International Space Station Mission".People.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  36. ^"NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 Mission".blogs.nasa.gov.October 14, 2022.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  37. ^abWaller, Allyson (November 15, 2020)."Victor Glover will be the first Black crew member on the space station".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 17,2020.Next year, he [astronaut Victor Glover] could be followed by Jeanette Epps, who would be the first Black woman to be part of an I.S.S. crew. She will fly aboard the first operational crewed trip of Boeing's Starliner capsule.
  38. ^Whiting, Melanie (February 4, 2016)."Victor J. Glover, Jr. (Captain, U.S. Navy) NASA Astronaut".NASA.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  39. ^Potter, Sean (June 16, 2022)."NASA Updates Astronaut Assignments for Boeing Starliner Test Flight".NASA.RetrievedJune 17,2022.
  40. ^Elizabeth Howell (August 4, 2023)."NASA selects astronauts for SpaceX Crew-8 mission to International Space Station".Space.com.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  41. ^Yolanda Adams, Jeanette Epps among honorary members inducted into AKA

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