About
Catherine "Cady" Coleman is a retired NASA astronaut, chemist, and former U.S. Air Force colonel who logged over 180 days in space across three missions. Selected by NASA in 1992, she flew as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Columbia missions STS-73 (1995), focused on microgravity experiments, and STS-93 (1999), which deployed the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Her longest assignment was a six-month stay on the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 26/27 (2010–2011), where she served as lead robotics and science officer. Post-NASA, Coleman has become a speaker on leadership, inclusion in STEM, and innovation, while also known for her flute performances in space and consulting on films like Gravity.