10 Sep 2023

Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper: Inspiring young women to look to the stars

From Sunday Morning, 11:10 am on 10 September 2023
Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper

Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper Photo: NASA

As the NZ Aerospace Summit gets underway next week in Christchurch, we’re joined by NASA astronaut, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper.

Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-115 mission specialist, took this self-portrait . The mission specialist had just unstowed the forward Solar Array Blanket Box (SABB) when this portrait, taken on a Sept. 12 space walk that marked the resumption of construction on the International Space Station.

Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-115 mission specialist, took this self-portrait having just unstowed the forward Solar Array Blanket Box (SABB) on a space walk on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA

Heide has performed five spacewalks, she's been up to the International Space station and down to the bottom of the ocean as well, as a Navy dive commander. Her work now is to encourage other young women to pursue careers in space.

In this second spacewalk for the STS-126 mission, astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (left) and Shane Kimbrough continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ)

Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (left) and Shane Kimbrough continued the process of removing debris and applying lubrication around the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. Photo: NASA