Jernigan, Tamara Elizabeth, 1959-

TAMARA E. “TAMMY” JERNIGAN (PH.D.); Born May 7, 1959, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Married to Peter J.K. "Jeff" Wisoff; received a bachelor of science degree in physics (with honors), and a master of science degree in engineering science from Stanford University in 1981 and 1983, a master of science degree in astronomy from the University of California-Berkeley in 1985, and a doctorate in space physics and astronomy from Rice University in 1988; Member of the American Astronomical Association, the
American Physical Society, the United States Volleyball Association, and a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts; After graduating from Stanford University, Jernigan served as a research scientist in the Theoretical Studies
Branch at NASA Ames Research Center from June 1981 until July 1985; Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1985, Dr. Jernigan became an astronaut in July
1986. Her assignments since then have included: software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); operations coordination on secondary payloads; spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control for STS-30, STS-28,
STS-34, STS-33, and STS-32; lead astronaut for flight software development; Chief of the Astronaut Office Mission Development Branch; Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. Prior to STS-96 she served as the Assistant for Station to the Chief of the Astronaut Office, directing crew involvement in the development and operation of the Station. A veteran of five space flights, Dr. Jernigan has logged over 1,512 hours in space, including an EVA totaling 7 hours and 55 minutes. She was a mission specialist on STS-40 (June 5-14, 1991) and STS-52 (October 22-November 1, 1992), was the payload commander on STS-67 (March 2-18, 1995), and again served as a mission specialist on STS-80 (November 19 to December 7, 1996) and STS-96 (May 27 to June 6, 1999). Currently, Dr. Jernigan serves as the Lead Astronaut for Space Station external maintenance. She also formulates and advocates Astronaut Office EVA input into the design, maintenance, and operation of
research and systems modules built by our Italian partners. Dr. Jernigan retired from NASA in September 2001 to accept a position at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where
she serves as Assistant Associate Director for Physics and Advanced Technologies; STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1) was a dedicated space and life sciences mission
aboard Space Shuttle Columbia; STS-52 was also launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia; STS-67 Astro-2 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour; On STS-80 the crew aboard Space Shuttle Columbia; STS-96 Discovery (May 27 to June 6, 1999) was a 10-day mission during which the crew performed the first docking to the International Space Station

Tamara Elizabeth "Tammy" Jernigan born May 7, 1959, in Chattanooga, Tennessee; attended Stanford University, where she earned a B.S. degree in physics in 1981, an M.S. in engineering science in 1983. At the University of California, Berkeley, she received an M.S. in astronomy in 1985. In 1988 she was awarded a Ph.D. in space physics and astronomy from Rice University. Her research focused on the modeling of high-velocity outflows in regions of star formation, gamma-ray bursters, and the study of radiation produced by interstellar shock waves; Jernigan began working for NASA in June 1981 at the Ames Research Center; selected to be an astronaut, June 1985; She entered the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1986 and retired in 2001. Her first trip to space was on June 5, 1991. She flew on five Space Shuttle program missions (three on Columbia and one each on Endeavour and Discovery) and logged 1512 hours in space. In her last mission on Discovery in 1999, she performed an extra-vehicular activity for 7 hours and 55 minutes; served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office, assisting with the management of both military and civilian astronauts and support personnel and as Deputy for the Space Station program where she developed and advocated Astronaut Office positions on the design and operation of the International Space Station. She also represented NASA management on the U.S. negotiating team in Moscow during technical interchange meetings designed to resolve crew training, crew rotation, and operational issues; recipient of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal; She currently resides in Pleasanton, CA. She is married and has a child, Jeffrey Wisoff with former astronaut Peter Wisoff. They both currently work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory