14 Facts About Karen Nyberg

Karen LuJean Nyberg was born on October 7,1969 and is an American mechanical engineer and retired NASA astronaut.

Karen Nyberg started her space career in 1991 and spent a total of 180 days in space in 2008 and 2013 as a mission specialist on STS-124 and a flight engineer on Soyuz TMA-09M.

Karen Nyberg was born on October 7,1969, in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, to parents Kenneth and Phyllis Karen Nyberg.

Karen Nyberg graduated from the public high school in Henning, Minnesota, in 1988.

Karen Nyberg continued her studies at the University of Texas at Austin, earning a master of science in mechanical engineering in 1996.

Karen Nyberg's studies centered on human thermoregulation and experimental metabolic testing and control, and focusing on the control of thermal neutrality in space suits.

Karen Nyberg was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in July 2000.

Karen Nyberg was crew support astronaut for the Expedition 6 crew during their six-month mission on the ISS.

In July 2006, Karen Nyberg took part in NEEMO 10, a deep-sea training and simulation exercise at the Aquarius underwater laboratory to help NASA prepare for the return of astronauts to the Moon and crewed missions to Mars.

Karen Nyberg was in the crew of STS-124, which flew to the ISS in May 2008.

In 2013 Karen Nyberg served as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition 36 and Expedition 37, having launched on Soyuz TMA-09M.

Since the end of her 2013 mission, Karen Nyberg has worked for NASA in the Space Shuttle branch, the Exploration branch, and as Chief of the Robotics branch.

Karen Nyberg is married to fellow astronaut Doug Hurley and they have a son.

Karen Nyberg was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 2014.