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Melroy received a bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy from Wellesley College in 1983 while also earning her commission in the United States Air Force through the ROTC program. She then earned a master's degree in earth and planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and trained as a fighter pilot. She flew combat missions during the 1991 Gulf War and subsequently became a test pilot, assigned to Edwards Air Force Base.
Melroy was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1994 and trained a shuttle pilot. She has piloted two space shuttle missions, both visits to the International Space Station: STS-92 in 2000 and STS-112Mission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-112 Shuttle: Atlantis Launch Pad: 39-B Launch:October 7, 2002 3:46 p. EDT Landing:11:44 a. EDT, October 18, 2002. KSC Runway 33 Duration:10 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes, 44 seconds. Orbit Altitude:122 nautical in 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom.