Linda Maxine Godwin (born July 2, 1952) is an American scientist and retired NASA astronaut. Godwin joined NASA in 1980 and became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired in 2010. During her career, Godwin completed four space flights and logged over 38 days in space. Godwin also served as the assistant to the director for exploration, Flight Crew Operations Directorate at the Johnson Space Center. Since retiring from NASA, she accepted the position of professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri. She was the first woman to perform spacewalks outside two different space stations, Mir in March 1996 and the International Space Station in December 2001.
Early life
Godwin was born July 2, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but her hometown is Jackson, Missouri. She graduated from Jackson High School in Jackson, Missouri, in 1970, then received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and physics from Southeast Missouri State University in 1974, and a Master of Science degree and a Doctorate in physics from the University of Missouri in 1976 and 1980.
Personal life
Godwin is a member of the American Physical Society, the Ninety-Nines, Inc., Association of Space Explorers, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
Godwin married fellow astronaut Steven Nagel (who had been her commander on her first spaceflight) and remained married until his death from cancer on August 21, 2014.
Awards and honors
- NASA Outstanding Performance Rating
Godwin is an instrument rated private pilot. Godwin became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired from NASA in 2010.
Spaceflight experience
STS-37
thumb|right|Godwin (left) and her crewmates during STS-37
Godwin served as mission specialist 1 on the crew of STS-37. Atlantis was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B April 5, 1991, 14:22:45 UTC and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California, April 11, 1991, 13:55:29 UTC. During the 93 orbits of the mission, the crew deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) to study gamma ray sources in the universe. GRO, at about , was the heaviest payload deployed to date by the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The crew also conducted an unscheduled spacewalk to free the GRO high gain antenna, and conducted the first scheduled extravehicular activity in years to test concepts for moving about large space structures. Several middeck experiments and activities were conducted including test of elements of a heat pipe to study fluid transfer processed in microgravity environments (SHARE), a chemical processing apparatus to characterize the structure of biological materials (BIMDA), and an experiment to grow larger and more perfect protein crystals than can be grown on the ground (PCG II). Atlantis carried amateur radio equipment for voice contact, fast scan and slow scan TV, and packet radio. Several hundred contacts were made with amateur radio operators around the world. Mission duration was 143 hours, 32 minutes, 44 seconds.
STS-59
thumb|right|Godwin (center) and her crew mates on the middeck of Endeavour during STS-59
Godwin served as payload commander on the crew of STS-59. The carbon monoxide sensor MAPS (Measurement of Air Pollution by Satellite) used gas filter radiometry to measure the global distribution of CO in the troposphere. Real-time crew observations of surface phenomena and climatic conditions augmented with over 14,000 photographs aided investigators in interpretation and calibration of the data. The mission concluded with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, April 20, 1994, 16:55 UTC after orbiting the Earth 183 times in 269 hours, 29 minutes.
STS-76
thumb|right|Linda Godwin performing a spacewalk on STS-76
Godwin served as mission specialist 3 on the crew of STS-76. This mission was also the first flight of Kidsat, an electronic camera controlled by classroom students via a Ku-band link between JSC Mission Control and the Shuttle, which uses digital photography from the Shuttle for science and education. The STS-76 mission concluded with a successful landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, March 31, 1996, 13:28:57 UTC after 145 orbits of the Earth, traveling in 221 hours and 15 minutes.
STS-108
thumb|right|Godwin performs a spacewalk on [[STS-108]]
Godwin served as mission specialist 1 on the crew of STS-108. of supplies, logistics and science experiments from the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module and repacked over of items no longer needed on the station for return to Earth. Godwin used the Shuttle's robotic arm to install the MPLM onto the Station Node, and participated in a spacewalk to wrap thermal blankets around ISS Solar Array Beta Gimbal Assemblies. STS-108 concluded with a successful landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility 17 December 2001 17:56:13 UTC after 185 Earth orbits, traveling in 283 hours and 36 minutes.