photo of Nicole Stott

Nicole Stott

NPS Discovery

Seeing the Earth from space, Nicole had an epiphany. In awe of the overwhelming beauty of our home planet, she knew that she would dedicate the rest of her life to sharing that experience with others. She believes that sharing this perspective has the power to increase everyone's appreciation of and obligation to care for our home planet and each other.

Always an Artist, Nicole brought a small watercolor kit with her on her mission to the ISS. She is the first Astronaut to Paint in Space.

Nicole is a veteran astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). She performed one spacewalk, was the first person to fly the robotic arm to capture the free flying HTV cargo vehicle, she was the last crew member to fly to and from their ISS mission on a Space Shuttle, and she was a member of the crew of the final flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery. She is also a NASA Aquanaut and holds the Women's World Record for saturation diving following her 18-day mission with the NEEMO9 crew on the Aquarius undersea habitat.

After 27 years with NASA, she is on her next adventure as a full-time Artist and SciArt Education Advocate. Through her artwork, she uniquely shares the awesome beauty and impressions she was blessed to experience through the windows of her spacecraft. She also continues to promote the amazing things we're doing every day in space that benefit us all right here on Earth. Combining her artwork and spaceflight experience, she is actively working to generate widespread interest in the inspiration that comes so wonderfully through the integration of Art and Science.

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