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This collection consists of several items related to Sharon Caples McDougle's career as a space suit technician at United Space Alliance.
Sharon Caples McDougle worked as a suit technician for the US Air Force, where she supported SR-71 and U-2 pilots between 1982--1990. McDougle then went to work as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) contractor with Boeing Aerospace and later United Space Alliance on twenty space missions between 1990--2004. McDougle was the first Black woman space suit technician, crew chief, and manager of the Space Shuttle Crew Escape Equipment Processing department at United Space Alliance. She famously suited up Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space, for Space Shuttle Mission STS-47. McDougle retired in 2012 following the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program. During the course of her career, McDougle was the recipient of numerous awards including NASA's "Silver Snoopy" Award in 2001.
NASM.2022.0042
McDougle, Sharon Caples
Circa 1990-2012
Sharon Caples McDougle, Gift, 2022, NASM.2022.0042.
0.01 Cubic feet (1 folder)
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of the following items related to Sharon Caples McDougle's career as a space suit technician at United Space Alliance: a 4 by 6 inch color photograph of McDougle at work posed with a space suit and signed by her with the inscription, "Let's suit up!"; two copies of McDougle's business card with her title listed as Manager, Crew Escape Equipment (CEE) IPT Processing; and a Flight Crew Equipment information sheet issued by United Space Alliance that features a photograph of McDougle at work.
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Sharon Caples McDougle Collection, NASM.2022.0042, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Astronautics
Space suits
Women in Aviation and Space Science
African Americans in Space Science
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographic print
Business cards
Documents