Sandra Magnus
Engineer, former NASA astronaut, and amateur radio operator KE5FYE.
Sandra Hall Magnus is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. Born on October 30, 1964, and raised in Belleville, Illinois, she earned degrees in physics and electrical engineering from the University of Missouri–Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology), followed by a PhD in materials science and engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996. Her dissertation examined the relationship between thermochemistry and emission behavior in thermionic cathodes, supported by a fellowship from NASA Lewis Research Center.
In the 1980s, Magnus worked as an engineer for McDonnell Douglas on stealth aircraft design, specifically the propulsion system for the A-12 Avenger II, until the Navy canceled the project in 1991. She was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and completed two years of training in 1998. She then worked in the Payloads/Habitability branch, coordinating with the European Space Agency, Japan’s NASDA, and Brazil. In 1998, she supported payload hardware development and testing in Russia, and in 2000 she served as CAPCOM for the International Space Station.
Her first spaceflight was STS-112 in October 2002, a mission aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis to install the S1 truss on the ISS and deliver supplies. During the three spacewalks required, Magnus operated the station’s robotic arm. The mission lasted 10 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes, and 44 seconds. From January 29–31, 2006, she passed a two-day survival exam near Moscow alongside Oleg Artemiev and Michael Barratt, testing her ability to survive an emergency Soyuz landing in an uninhabited area. In September 2006, she commanded NEEMO 11, an undersea mission at the Aquarius laboratory off Florida, where she and fellow astronauts Timothy Kopra, Robert Behnken, and Timothy Creamer simulated moonwalks, tested mobility concepts, and practiced lunar surface tasks like communication, navigation, sample retrieval, construction, and remote-controlled robot use.
Magnus served as flight engineer on the ISS during Expedition 18. She launched as a mission specialist on STS-126 on November 14, 2008, and returned as a mission specialist on STS-119 on March 28, 2009, spending 133 days in orbit. Her replacement, JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, launched on March 15, 2009. In September 2010, she was assigned to the STS-135 crew, initially a rescue crew for STS-134.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1964-10-30
- Birth Place
- Belleville, Illinois, U.S.
- Education
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (BS) / Georgia Institute of Technology (MS, PhD)
- Time
- 157d 8h 42m
- Selection
- NASA Group 16 (1996)
- Mission
- STS-112 / STS-126/119 (Expedition 18) / STS-135
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Magnus was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois. She earned degrees in physics and electrical engineering from the University of Missouri–Rolla before completing a PhD in materials science and engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996. Her dissertation research was supported by a fellowship from the NASA Lewis Research Center. During the 1980s, she worked on stealth aircraft design as an engineer for McDonnell Douglas, including work on the propulsion system for the A-12 Avenger II until the project was canceled in 1991.
Selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996, Magnus trained from January 1997 until May 1998. She served as CAPCOM for the International Space Station in 2000. Her first spaceflight was STS-112 in October 2002, where she operated the station's robotic arm during three spacewalks to install the S1 truss. In 2006 she commanded the NEEMO 11 undersea mission, testing lunar surface concepts. She served as flight engineer on Expedition 18, launching on STS-126 in November 2008 and returning on STS-119 in March 2009, logging 133 days in orbit. Her final mission was STS-135 in July 2011, the last Space Shuttle flight.
After leaving NASA in October 2012, Magnus became executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics until January 2018. She later worked as a principal at AstroPlanetView and as deputy director for Engineering within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. In February 2021, she joined Virgin Galactic's Space Advisory Board.
Reader's Guide
Sandra Magnus's career spans engineering, spaceflight, and leadership in aerospace organizations. Her work on stealth aircraft at McDonnell Douglas and her three space missions—including a long-duration stay on the International Space Station and the final Space Shuttle flight—demonstrate her technical and operational contributions. As a licensed amateur radio operator (KE5FYE), she represents the connection between space exploration and amateur radio. Her role as executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 2012 to 2018 placed her at the head of a major professional society. Her later advisory role with Virgin Galactic continues her involvement in commercial spaceflight. Her experience as commander of the NEEMO 11 undersea mission and her participation in survival training near Moscow highlight the breadth of preparation required for spaceflight. Magnus's legacy includes her participation in the assembly and operation of the International Space Station and her contributions to the final Space Shuttle mission.
Did You Know?
- Sandra Magnus holds the amateur radio call sign KE5FYE.
- She served as commander of NASA's NEEMO 11 undersea mission in September 2006.
- Magnus flew on STS-135, the final Space Shuttle mission, in July 2011.
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