Sarah Gillis Biography And Wiki
Sarah Gillis leads astronaut training for Crew Dragon missions as a space operations engineer at SpaceX. In September 2024, she flew aboard the Polaris Dawn mission—a private human spaceflight by SpaceX—and became the youngest person to complete a spacewalk. Along with astronaut Anna Menon, she set a historic record for the farthest distance traveled by women from Earth. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Gillis studied aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, drawing inspiration from former NASA astronaut Joseph R. Tanner.
Gillis has trained both NASA and commercial astronauts, including the all-civilian crew of the Inspiration4 mission. Beyond her engineering work, she showcases her passion for music as a classically trained violinist. During her spaceflight, she performed “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens to support a charitable cause, blending science and the arts in a unique tribute.
Sarah Gillis Age And Birthday
Gillis was born on January 1, 1994, in Palo Alto, California, USA. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Sarah Gillis Height And Weight
She is 1.67 m tall and weighs 67 kg.
Sarah Gillis Educational Background
Gillis graduated from Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder, Colorado, in 2012. She then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, earning her degree in 2017. Her decision to study aerospace engineering was influenced by her mentor, former NASA astronaut Joseph R. Tanner, who encouraged her to explore the field.
Sarah Gillis Spouse And Children
She has not yet disclosed details of her spouse or children.
Sarah Gillis Nationality And Ethnicity
Gillis is American by nationality.
Sarah Gillis Career
Sarah Gillis began her aerospace career at SpaceX as an intern in 2015 while studying at the University of Colorado Boulder. During her internship, she contributed to human-in-the-loop testing for the Dragon spacecraft. After graduating, she accepted a full-time position and advanced to become a lead space operations engineer, taking charge of astronaut training for Crew Dragon missions. Gillis prepared both NASA astronauts for Demo-2 and Crew-1 missions and trained the Inspiration4 crew, the first all-civilian team to orbit Earth.
In addition to her training work, Gillis operated in SpaceX’s Mission Control, where she supported live operations for Dragon’s cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. Her responsibilities in real-time mission support further demonstrated her expertise and reliability in high-stakes environments. Her efforts proved vital in ensuring mission success across both government and commercial spaceflights.
In September 2024, Gillis launched into space aboard Polaris Dawn, a private mission by SpaceX. During the flight, she conducted a stand-up extravehicular activity (SEVA), becoming the youngest person ever to perform a spacewalk. Alongside astronaut Anna Menon, she set a new record for the farthest distance traveled by women from Earth. Showcasing her musical talent, Gillis, a classically trained violinist, performed “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens during the mission to raise funds for charity.
Sarah Gillis Salary
She earns an annual salary of $196,000.
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