Susan J. Helms

Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 26, 1958. She grew up aspiring to be a female astronaut, which was an uncommon achievement for her time. General Helms graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980 with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering, and continued her studies to earn a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics.

In 1980, Helms was selected by the U.S. Air Force to be a F-15 and F-16 weapons separation engineer. Later, Helms became a flight test engineer. By January of 1990, General Helms was selected by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to become a team member. In 1993, General Helms was a member of the Endeavor space shuttle crew, becoming the first U.S. military woman in space. She also holds the world record for longest space walk at 8 hours and 56 minutes.

Today, Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms is the commander of the US Space Command, the 14th Air Force based in Vandenberg, California. General Helms is in control of space superiority, providing missile warning, space situational awareness, and space launch and range operations. She was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 2004.