One of NASA’s longest serving astronauts with over 36 years of service, Dr. Anna L. Fisher was instrumental in the early successes of the Space Shuttle Program and International Space Station. Her roles as physician, mission specialist, Branch Chief, crew representative, and STEM proponent have made her a pioneering leader in space exploration.

Born in New York City in 1949, Dr. Fisher grew up in San Pedro, California. She holds a bachelor’s in chemistry, a master’s in chemistry, and a Doctor in Medicine, specializing in emergency medicine. She was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1978 and served as a crew representative for the first four space shuttle missions (pre-STS-1 through 4) until her launch aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-51 A) in 1984. During the mission, she helped deploy two satellites and conduct a space salvage operation, retrieving two satellites.

Throughout her career, Dr. Fisher supported the development of space shuttle systems and served in various leadership roles at NASA. She contributed to astronaut selection and training and played a key role in the early phases of the International Space Station (ISS), serving as Chief of the International Space Shuttle branch at the NASA Astronaut Office.

She retired in 2017 and continues to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders through motivational speaking engagements and as a goodwill ambassador for the U.S. State Department. Dr. Fisher’s honors include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the Lloyd’s of London Silver Medal.