Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan (born October 3, 1951) is an American geologist, oceanographer, former NASA astronaut, and U.S. Navy Reserve captain. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, she became one of the most accomplished explorers in history—distinguished both in space and in the deepest parts of Earth’s oceans.
Early Life
Sullivan was born in Paterson, New Jersey, before her family relocated to California during her childhood. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Ph.D. in geology from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her research focused on oceanography and marine geology before joining NASA.
NASA Career
Selected as part of NASA’s groundbreaking 1978 astronaut class—the first to include women—Sullivan flew on three Space Shuttle missions:
- STS-41-G (1984): Became the first American woman to perform a spacewalk (EVA) on October 11, 1984.
- STS-31 (1990): Helped deploy the Hubble Space Telescope, one of the most important scientific instruments ever launched.
- STS-45 (1992): Served as Payload Commander on a mission dedicated to studying Earth’s atmosphere.
During her three shuttle flights, Sullivan spent 22 days, 4 hours, and 49 minutes in space.
Leadership in Science
After leaving NASA in 1993, Sullivan continued her public service:
- Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- President and CEO of the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio
- Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of NOAA from 2014 to 2017 during the Obama administration.
A Record-Setting Explorer
In 2020, Sullivan made history again by becoming the first woman to descend to Challenger Deep, nearly seven miles beneath the Pacific Ocean in the Mariana Trench. She remains the only person to have both walked in space and visited the deepest known point in Earth’s oceans.
Honors
Among her many honors are:
- Induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
- Numerous NASA medals for leadership and spaceflight.
- Membership in the National Academy of Engineering.
- Appointment to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Connection to Paterson
Although she spent most of her childhood in California, Kathryn D. Sullivan’s birthplace of Paterson, New Jersey, makes her one of the city’s most distinguished natives. Her achievements in both space exploration and ocean science have made her an international symbol of scientific excellence and exploration.