Jeanne Lee Crews was born in 1939. Jeanne Lee Crews's interest in space and science began when she was about 8 years old. She loved all kinds of science. Jeanne first believed she would be an astronomer. Her father was a pilot in the Air Force. Both her mother and father were supportive of her love for science and supplied her with telescopes, microscopes, or anything she had an interest in. Sputnik and the space race ignited her passion for space even further. Jeanne began acquiring her college degree at the University of Texas with a major in engineering. Jeanne was one of ten engineering freshman who were invited to take a physical chemistry course with graduate students. She then finished getting her M.D. in aerospace engineering at the University of Florida. In September 1964, Jeanne was hired at NASA as an engineer. She was one of the first women engineers hired there. Jeanne expressed in an oral interview, "... I really had to work hard to get the responsibility. Everybody wanted to hold my hand. Now, I know that sounds, “Well, isn’t that nice?” But it isn't when you're really trying to prove yourself... I didn't blame them; I really didn't. They just didn't know how to handle me." Once hired, she went to Houston, Texas. Warren J. North was her division chief. James R. Brickel was the section head. Jeanne worked alongside Dean F. Grimm on her initial projects. Before her career at NASA, Crews was employed at Patrick Air Force Base as a junior mathematician, where her father worked as Inspector General of Patrick.
Career at NASA
Crews worked on the Apollo landmarks as the zero gravity flights were taking place. She later worked on projects such as Skylab, and the Whipple Shield. Jeanne took flight in the zero gravity plane. Other than nurses who were asked to come on the plane, Jeanne was one of the first women on the zero- G plane. Jeanne's work was focused in on protecting satellites from debri in space. The multi shock shield was a project Jeanne worked on. This layered shield was intended to absorb particles in order to protect the spacecraft. She created a shield from fabric to make it weigh less, yet have more strength. This is known as the space bumper. It is still in use today on the International Space Station. The shield would be protectant of debris with densities of 2.7 g/cm3, as well as impact velocities of 16 km/s. While working at NASA, Crews was able to fly light airplanes or the simulators. She could do so as long as no reporters saw her got in or out of the plane. Donald K. Slayton told Jeanne she would not be photographed around the plane because they did not want anyone thinking that there was a woman astronaut. Throughout Jeanne's years at NASA, she was an engineer, contract monitor, and a researcher at Space and Life Sciences. Towards the end of her career, she was the Assistant to the Division Chief. In November 2002, Crews retired from NASA.
Awards
In 1990, Jeanne won the Patent Award along with her co- inventor Burton G. Cour- Palais. In 1992, she was awarded the Tech Brief Award, along with Cour- Palais and Eric Christiansen. She was also awarded the Women in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1993, she won the Board Award, otherwise known as a NASA Headquarters Space Act Award, as well as the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. In 1995, she won the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. That same year, she was also awarded the Board Award for Debris Shield, Board Award for Weight Reduction Design, and the Patent Award, again. In 1998, she won the Tech Brief Award, again. In 1999, she won the Silver Snoopy Award as well as the Tech Brief Award. in 2006, Jeanne was honored for "Far- Reaching Inventions."
