What is joan higginbotham?

Joan Higginbotham is a former NASA astronaut and engineer. She was born on August 3, 1964, in Chicago, Illinois. Higginbotham earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Management from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Higginbotham joined NASA in 1987 as a Payload Electrical Engineer and later became a payload flight controller for numerous space shuttle missions. She was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and flew her first space mission in December 2006 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist.

During her 12-day mission, Higginbotham helped to deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. She also operated the Shuttle's robotic arm during the installation of the P5 truss segment on the station.

After leaving NASA in 2007, Higginbotham held various positions in the aerospace and defense industry, including serving as the Vice President of Mission Assurance at the United Space Alliance. She is also a sought-after speaker, sharing her experiences as an astronaut and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.