NEWS

Astronaut, four-time shuttle mission veteran to speak on space exploration Nov. 14

CHAPEL HILL -- Dr. Nancy Currie – astronaut, scientist and four-time Space Shuttle mission veteran – will talk about her experiences in space and her vision of the future of space exploration Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Her lecture, a part of the SpaceTalk Seminar Series, will be held at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Star Theater. The event is free to the public; seating is limited, and those interested are encouraged to reserve a space by calling (919) 962-1236.

SpaceTalk is a UNC student organization that advocates for the human exploration of Mars and space. The seminar series brings distinguished speakers, scientists and other prominent figures in space-related fields to campus, said Kate Harris, SpaceTalk founder and president. Harris, a Morehead Scholar from Canada, is a sophomore.

Currie, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, was assigned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 1987 as a flight simulation engineer on the Shuttle Training Aircraft, a simulator that models flight characteristics of the Orbiter. An astronaut since 1990, she has accrued 1,000 hours in space. She has flown as mission specialist 2, flight engineer, on four missions since 1993, including the first International Space Station assembly mission (1998).

During her most recent, and fourth, mission, Currie operated the shuttle’s 50-foot robot arm to retrieve and re-deploy the Hubble Space Telescope following the completion of numerous upgrades and repairs. She also operated the robot arm during a series of five consecutive spacewalks performed by four crewmembers.

During her NASA years, she been involved in robotic hardware and procedure development for the shuttle and space station and has worked as a spacecraft communicator. She also has served as the chief of both the Astronaut Office Robotics and Payloads-Habitability branches.

As an officer in the U.S. Army, Currie has served in a variety of leadership roles, including section leader, platoon leader and brigade flight-standardization officer. As a master Army aviator, she has logged more than 3,900 flying hours in a variety of rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft.

A native of Wilmington, Del., Currie considers Troy, Ohio, her hometown. She received a bachelor of arts degree, with honors, in biological science from Ohio State University, a master of science degree in safety from the University of Southern California and a doctorate in industrial engineering from the University of Houston.

"Nancy Currie is a wonderful role model for young people who dream of exploring the universe beyond Earth. She is a testament to what people can achieve with hard work, determination and extraterrestrial aspirations," said Harris.

Currie’s lecture, organized by SpaceTalk, is sponsored by the N.C. Space Grant Consortium, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and the Office of Distinguished Scholarships and Intellectual Life.

For more information on SpaceTalk, click on www.unc.edu/space/.

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SpaceTalk contact: Kate Harris, (919) 914-1538

Morehead Planetarium contact: Carrie Anne Spinelli, (919) 846-7952