Laurel Clark

Date of Birth: March 10, 1961

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: February 1, 2003

Biography

Laurel Blair Salton Clark was an American astronaut and medical doctor who served as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. Born in Ames, Iowa, Clark grew up with an early interest in science and space exploration. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983 and a Doctorate of Medicine from the same institution in 1987. After completing her medical education, she joined the U.S. Navy where she served as a flight surgeon. Clark was selected by NASA in April 1996 and completed two years of training and evaluation, qualifying her for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Her only spaceflight mission was STS-107 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, which launched on January 16, 2003. Tragically, she perished along with her six crewmates when Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry on February 1, 2003. Throughout her career, Clark’s work spanned various fields including undersea medicine, aviation medicine, and space flight medicine. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

5 Interesting Facts about Laurel Clark

1. Laurel Clark was a certified diving medical officer, specializing in undersea medicine.

2. She was the only female astronaut on the ill-fated STS-107 mission.

3. Clark completed over 2,081 hours of flight time in various aircraft as a U.S. Navy officer.

4. She was posthumously inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2004.

5. Laurel Clark’s favorite hobbies included scuba diving and hiking.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Laurel Clark

1. “I realize how precious life is, how fragile it can be.”

2. “I just feel like I am in a big science experiment.”

3. “Space flight is a dream come true for me.”

4. “The Earth is so beautiful from space.”

5. “I’d like to live in a world where exploration and adventure are celebrated.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While specific details about Laurel Clark’s net worth are not publicly available, astronauts typically earn between $66,000 and $144,566 annually depending on their experience and rank.