Cady Coleman

Cady Coleman is a former NASA astronaut and a retired colonel in the United States Air Force. She is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions and spent six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expedition 26/27. In total, she has logged more than 180 days in space. Coleman is a chemist by training, with a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and she served as a mission specialist conducting scientific experiments in microgravity.\n\nColeman is the author of Sharing Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change. Beyond her technical achievements, she is known for her advocacy for inclusion in STEM fields. She famously played the flute while aboard the ISS, including a duet with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull from Earth. Since retiring from NASA, she serves as a global ambassador for space exploration and works to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.