posted 07-24-2009 11:19 PM               

Captain Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper retired from NASA in July 2009 to return to the U.S. Navy at the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington D.C.

Photo credit: NASA

posted 07-25-2009 07:44 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by BMckay:
They will be missed. Good luck on all their future endeavors!

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posted 07-26-2009 08:09 AM               

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Originally posted by KSCartist:
Thanks Heide for your service to our space program and your continued service to our country. You will be missed.

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posted 09-09-2009 02:19 PM               

Veteran Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper Leaves NASA

NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Capt. Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn Piper has left NASA to return to the Navy. Stefanyshyn-Piper is a veteran of two space shuttle flights and five spacewalks.

"Heide has been an outstanding astronaut, contributing significantly to the space shuttle and space station programs," said Steve Lindsey, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "In particular, her superb leadership as lead spacewalker during the STS-126 mission resulted in restoring full power generation capability to the International Space Station. We wish her the best of luck back in the Navy -- she will be missed."

NASA selected Stefanyshyn-Piper as an astronaut in April 1996. She flew on the STS-115 mission in 2006 and STS-126 in 2008, logging more than 27 days in space and more than 33 hours spacewalking. Her flights to the space station helped install a truss segment and expanded the living quarters for additional crew members to live at the station.

posted 05-23-2011 08:24 AM               

Stefanyshyn-Piper relieves Meyer as Carderock CO

Capt. Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper relieved Capt. Chris Meyer as commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock, May 20 in a ceremony at Carderock's Maritime Technology Information Center.

Stefanyshyn-Piper reports to Carderock from her previous assignment as Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) chief technology officer at NAVSEA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Stefanyshyn-Piper was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996 and served as mission specialist on the 2006 Shuttle Atlantis and 2008 Shuttle Endeavor flights. She logged more than 27 days and 15 hours in space and completed five space walks, totaling 33 hours and 42 minutes of Extra Vehicular Activity time. Her previous assignments include tours at numerous ship repair facilities and as surface warfare officer on the former recovery and salvage ship USS Grapple (ARS 53).

NSWC Commander, Rear Adm. Jim Shannon, who served as the ceremony's keynote speaker, cited her work as an astronaut and Navy diver and called Stefanyshyn-Piper a "trailblazing pioneer" for Navy men and women around the world. Shannon also presented Meyer with a Legion of Merit medal for his accomplishments since assuming command of NSWC Carderock in July 2009.

"As division commander, Chris spearheaded Carderock's commitment to ensuring U.S. Naval supremacy through advanced ships and ship systems that are innovative, adaptable and affordable," said Shannon.

Meyer will report to Program Executive Office (PEO) Aircraft Carriers as a program manager in Washington, D.C. Before taking charge as NSWC Carderock's 34th commander, Meyer served in NAVSEA's PEO Aircraft Carriers and the CVN 21 Future Aircraft Carrier Program as the assistant program manager for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System and the Advanced Arresting Gear.

"I can honestly say that my tour here has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in the Navy," Meyer said. "I'll always look back on my time here with a sense of pride and look forward to all the great things Carderock is sure to accomplish."

A field activity of NAVSEA, NSWC Carderock specializes in ship design & integration; environmental quality systems; hull forms and propulsors; structures and materials; signatures, silencing systems, and susceptibility; machinery systems; and vulnerability and survivability systems. The division's expertise spans more than 40 disciplines, from electrical and mechanical engineering to computer engineering and physics.

posted 05-23-2011 10:35 AM               

Heide is taking over a large organization with over 3500 personnel under her command.