BONNIE J. DUNBAR (PH.D.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born March 3, 1949, in Sunnyside, Washington. 

EDUCATION: Graduated from Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside, Washington, in 1967; 

received bachelor of science and master of science degrees in ceramic engineering from 

the University of Washington in 1971 and 1975, respectively; and a doctorate in 

Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston, 1983. Certified 

Professional Engineer in Texas.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 

(AIAA), American Ceramic Society (ACS), the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers 

(NICE), Tau Beta Pi, Materials Research Society (MRS), International Academy of 

Astronautics (IAF), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Association of Space Explorers 

(ASE).

SPECIAL HONORS: Associate Fellow, AIAA. Elected to the National Academy of Engineers (2002). American Ceramic 

Society James I. Mueller Award, Cocoa Beach, Florida. (2000). Inducted into the Women in Technology International (WITI) 

Hall of Fame in 2000. NASA Space Flight Medals (1985, 1990, 1992, 1995 and 1998). Superior Accomplishment Award 

(1997). Member, National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Advisory Board, 1993-1999. NASA Exceptional 

Achievement Medal(1996). NASA Outstanding Leadership Award (1993). Fellow of American Ceramic Society (1993). Design 

News Engineering Achievement Award (1993). IEEE Judith Resnik Award (1993). Society of Women Engineers Resnik 

Challenger Medal (1993). Museum of Flight Pathfinder Award (1992). AAES National Engineering Award (1992). NASA 

Exceptional Service Award (1991). University of Houston Distinguished Engineering Alumna (1991). M.R.S. President’s Award 

(1990). ACS Schwaltzwalder P.A.C.E. Award (1990). University of Washington Engineering Alumni Achievement (1989). 

NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988). ACS Life Membership (1986). General Jimmy Doolittle Fellow of the Aerospace 

Education Foundation (1986). American Ceramic Society (ACS) Greaves-Walker Award (1985). Rockwell International 

Engineer of the Year in 1977. 

EXPERIENCE: Following graduation in 1971, Dr. Dunbar worked for Boeing Computer Services for two years as a systems 

analyst. From 1973 to 1975, she conducted research for her master’s thesis in the field of mechanisms and kinetics of ionic 

diffusion in sodium beta-alumina. In 1975, she conducted research at Harwell Laboratories in Oxford, England. Her work there 

involved the wetting behavior of liquids on solid substrates. Following her work in England, she accepted a senior research 

engineer position with Rockwell International Space Division in Downey, California. Her responsibilities included developing 

equipment and processes for the manufacture of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system in Palmdale, California. She also

represented Rockwell International as a member of the Dr. Kraft Ehricke evaluation committee on prospective space 

industrialization concepts. Dr. Dunbar completed her doctorate at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. Her multidisciplinary dissertation (materials science and physiology) involved evaluating the effects of simulated space flight on bone 

strength and fracture toughness. Dr. Dunbar has served as an adjunct assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering at the 

University of Houston.

Dr. Dunbar is a private pilot with over 200 hours in single engine land aircraft, has logged more than 1000 hours flying time in 

T-38 jets as co-pilot, and has over 100 hours as co-pilot in a Cessna Citation Jet. 

NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Dunbar accepted a position as a payload officer/flight controller at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space 

Center in 1978. She served as a guidance and navigation officer/flight controller for the Skylab reentry mission in 1979 and was 

subsequently designated project officer/payload officer for the integration of several Space Shuttle payloads.

- more -

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058
Dr. Dunbar became a NASA astronaut in August 1981. Her technical assignments have included verification of Shuttle flight 

software at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL), serving as a member of the Flight Crew Equipment Control 

Board, participation as a member of the Astronaut Office Science Support Group, and supporting operational development of the

remote manipulator system (RMS). She has served as chief of the Mission Development Branch. In 1993, Dr. Dunbar served as 

Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In February 

1994, she lived in Star City, Russia, for 13-months training as a back-up crew member for a 3-month flight on the Russian Space 

Station, Mir. In March 1995, she was certified by the Russian Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center as qualified to fly on long 

duration Mir Space Station flights. From October 1995 to November 1996, she was detailed to the NASA JSC Mission 

Operations Directorate as Assistant Director where she was responsible for chairing the International Space Station Training 

Readiness Reviews, and facilitating Russian/American operations and training strategies. From June 1998 to July 2003 she served 

as Assistant Director to the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) with a focus on University Research. From October 2003 until 

January 2005, she was Deputy Associate Director for Biological Sciences and Applications. From January–September 2005 she 

served as Associate Director, Technology Integration and Risk Management. Dr. Dunbar retired from NASA in September 2005 

to serve as President and CEO of the Seattle Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington.

A veteran of five space flights, Dr. Dunbar has logged more than 1,208 hours (50 days) in space. She served as a mission 

specialist on STS 61-A in 1985, STS-32 in 1990, and STS-71 in 1995, and was the Payload Commander on STS-50 in 1992, and 

STS-89 in 1998. 

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS 61-A Challenger (October 30-November 6, 1985), was the West German D-1 Spacelab 

mission. It was the first to carry eight crew members, and was also the first in which payload activities were controlled in

Germany. More than 75 scientific experiments were completed in the areas of physiological sciences, materials science, biology, 

and navigation. During the flight, Dr. Dunbar was responsible for operating Spacelab and its subsystems and performing a variety 

of experiments. Her mission training included six months of experiment training in Germany, France, Switzerland, and The 

Netherlands. STS 61-A launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, 

California. Mission duration was 7 days, 44 minutes 51 seconds. 

STS-32 Columbia (January 9-20, 1990), launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to a night landing at 

Edwards Air Base in California. During the flight, the crew successfully deployed the Syncom IV-F5 satellite, and retrieved the 

21,400-pound Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) using the RMS. They also operated a variety of middeck experiments 

including the Microgravity Disturbance Experiment (MDE) using the Fluids Experiment Apparatus (FEA), Protein Crystal Growth 

(PCG), American Flight Echocardiograph (AFE), Latitude/Longitude Locator (L3), Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE), 

Characterization of Neurospora Circadian Rhythms (CNCR),and the IMAX Camera. Dr. Dunbar was prime operator for the RMS 

retrieval of LDEF, and was principal investigator for the MDE/FEA Experiment. Additionally, numerous medical test objectives, 

including in-flight lower body negative pressure (LBNP), in-flight aerobic exercise and muscle performance were conducted to 

evaluate human adaptation to extended duration missions. Mission duration was 10 days, 21 hours, 01 minute, 38 seconds. 

STS-50 Columbia (June 25 to July 9, 1992). Dr. Dunbar was the Payload Commander on STS-50, the United States Microgravity 

Lab-1 mission which was dedicated to microgravity fluid physics, materials science and life sciences. Over 30 experiments 

sponsored by over 100 U.S. investigators were housed in the “Spacelab” in the Shuttle’s Payload Bay. A payload crew of four 

operated around-the-clock for 13 days performing experiments in scientific disciplines such as protein crystal growth, electronic 

and infrared detector crystal growth, surface tension physics, zeolite crystal growth, and human physiology. Mission duration was 

13 days, 19 hours, 30 minutes and 4 seconds. 

STS-71 Atlantis (June 27 to July 7, 1995), was the first Space Shuttle mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir, and 

involved an exchange of crews. The Atlantis was modified to carry a docking system compatible with the Russian Mir Space 

Station. Dr. Dunbar served as MS-3 on this flight which also carried a Spacelab module in the payload bay in which the crew 

performed medical evaluations on the returning Mir crew. These evaluations included ascertaining the effects of weightlessness 

on the cardio/vascular system, the bone/muscle system, the immune system, and the cardio/pulmonary system. Mission duration 

was 9 days, 19 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds, traveling 4.1 million miles in 153 orbits of the earth.

STS-89 Endeavour (January 22-31, 1998), was the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission during which the crew transferred more 

than 9,000 pounds of scientific equipment, logistical hardware and water from Space Shuttle Endeavour to Mir. Dr. Dunbar was

the Payload Commander, responsible for all payload activities including the conduct of 23 technology and science experiments. 

In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89 delivered Andy Thomas to Mir and returned with David Wolf. Mission 

duration was 8 days, 19 hours and 47 seconds. 

SEPTEMBER 2005

This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.