Carlos Noriega

Carlos Ismael Noriega Jiménez (Lima, October 8, 1959) is a Peruvian nationalized American NASA astronaut, scientist, and retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Marine Corps.

Biography

Academic background

• Graduated at the Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, California, in 1977.
• Computer degree from the University of Southern California in 1981.

• Master in computer science and another in system operations by the Naval Postgraduate School, both obtained in 1990.

Professional experience

NASA Experience

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Noriega was sent to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in March 1995. In May 1996, he was assigned as a space mission specialist. Noriega flew on STS-84 in 1997 and on STS-97 in 2000. He has spent about 461 hours in space, including 19 hours of spacewalking 3 times. Following STS-97, Noriega was named reserve commander for Expedition 6 of the International Space Station. He was later part of the STS-121 team, although in July 2004, he would be replaced from it due to an unfavorable medical report that momentarily separated him.

Space Flight

• STS-84 (1997) - Sixth mission to the Russian Mir space station. During the eight-day mission, the Atlantis ferry team conducted a good number of secondary experiments, and moved nearly 4 tons of Atlantis testing supplies and equipment to the MIR. Noriega recorded a total of 221 hours and 20 minutes in space traveling 3.6 million miles and turning 144 rounds to Earth during the course of this mission. As anecdote you can tell that on this space journey led to space memories of your homeland, like the inhabited chicha. Nor did he miss among his belongings carried to space, his bicolored flag and a gold Tumi, symbol of Chimu Culture. He also received direct congratulations to the space of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.

• STS-97 (2000) - Fifth mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station. During its deployment to the Station, the team installed the first solar panel system, 3 space walks were made and supplies and equipment were taken for the first crew members of the Station, belonging to Expedition 1. The duration of the mission was 10 days, 19 hours and 57 minutes, and they traveled 4.47 million miles.

Special Honors

• Medal of the Senior Defence Service
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal
• Air Medal-Combat Distinguishing Device
• Air Medal-Strike Flight Award
• Navy Achievement Medal
• NASA Space Flight Medal
• NASA Exceptional Service Medal