Pamela Melroy
American retired United States Air Force officerWikipedia
5
MENTIONS
4
EPISODES
4
PODCASTS
Search complete. 5 mentions across 4 episodes found for "Pamela Melroy".
Sep 25, 2026
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
We had flown as pilot in command, and I think that's probably why Wally was especially happy that it was 1995, but we eventually had a woman fly as pilot of the space shuttle.
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
And after I flew, uh, Susan Kilrain flew, and Pam Melroy
Sue NelsonHOST
Melroy... flew as pilots, and Pam went on to be commander.
Sue NelsonHOST
So unfortunately, there were only three women pilots of the shuttle and two women commanders of the shuttle, but I know that Wally, she didn't have any envy or jealousy of us.
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
They weren't pilots.
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
in the sense that they piloted the space shuttle so I think that's why maybe I stood out to Wally a little bit because my flying background was similar you know in the sense we didn't have the exact same flying background but we had the fact that we were both pilots instructors we had flown as pilot in command and I think that's probably why Wally was especially happy that it was 1995 but we eventually had a woman fly as pilot of the space shuttle and after I flew Susan Kilrain flew and Pam Melroy flew as pilots and Pam went on to be commander.
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
So unfortunately there were only three women pilots of the shuttle and two women commanders of the shuttle, but I know that Wally, she didn't have any envy or jealousy of us.
Eileen CollinsSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
She cheered us on all the way.
Frank Von HippelHOST
So the only other time that I interviewed an astronaut for this, uh, podcast was in 2019.
Frank Von HippelHOST
I interviewed Pam Melroy about her work in-
Leroy ChiaoGUEST
Mm-hmm
Frank Von HippelHOST
...
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
So it, it was just, uh, a really nail, nail-biting sort of a, a day on the job.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
Um, but, you know, talking about kind of mental preparedness, the, the first thing that our, our commander said to me is that, "Job number one is to get you out there and back safely." Pam Melroy was our commander, a fantastic leader.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
And, um, and so that was the, the primary job is to get out and assess the, the damage site, and if we could, to install these repairs that we called cufflinks across the damage site and cut out, uh, what appeared to be a frayed guide wire, um, that had caused the, the damage itself.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
And, um, thankfully, uh, you know, Stephanie and Dan were able to get me close enough where I could just barely reach, uh, the solar panel, and very carefully I was able to, to put in these repairs.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
Whatever, you know, kind of data that you can assimilate, um, going into an environment, the better.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
Um, so that, that's, that's, um, one element.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
The other aspect that I'd mention is something that I really observed and, and carried with me since flying with my commander, Pam Melroy.
Scott ParazynskiGUEST
Um, she really instilled in us, uh, what I call situationally appropriate leadership.