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Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961 –
February 1, 2003) was a medical doctor, United
States Navy Captain, NASA astronaut and Space
Shuttle mission specialist of STS-107 (Space
Shuttle Columbia|Columbia) who was killed when the
aerospace engineering|craft disintegrated after
reentry (orbital)|re-entry into the Earth's
atmosphere. Clark, of Racine, Wisconsin|Racine,
Wisconsin became an astronaut in 1996.

==Personal data==
Born in Iowa, but considered Racine, Wisconsin, to
be her hometown. Died on February 1, 2003 over the
southern United States when Space Shuttle
Columbia|Space Shuttle Columbia broke up and her
crew perished during entry, 16 minutes prior to
scheduled landing. She is survived by her husband
and their child. Laurel enjoyed scuba diving,
hiking, camping, biking, parachuting, flying,
traveling. Laurel's final message to her friends
and family was through an email
http://sources.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_from_150NM
_above_Earth%2C_2003 sent from Space Shuttle
Columbia.

==Education==
* 1979: Graduated from William Horlick High
School, Racine, Wisconsin
* 1983: Received bachelor of science degree in
zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
* 1987: Received doctorate in medicine from the
same school

==Orgranizations==
* Aerospace Medical Association, Society of U.S.
Naval Flight Surgeons.

==Awards==
* Navy Commendation Medals (3)
* National Defense Medal
* Overseas Service Ribbon
* Posthumously awarded:
** the NASA Space Flight Medal
** the NASA Distinguished Service Medal
** the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (DDSM)
** the Congressional Space Medal of Freedom
** Asteroid 51827 Laurelclark was named for Clark.
** Clark Hill in the Columbia Hills on Mars was
named for Clark

==Experience==
During medical school she did active duty training
with the Diving Medicine Department at the Naval
Experimental Diving Unit in March 1987. After
completing medical school, Dr. Clark underwent
postgraduate Medical education in Pediatrics from
1987-1988 at Naval Hospital Bethesda, Maryland.
The following year she completed Navy undersea
medical officer training at the Naval Undersea
Medical Institute in Groton, Connecticut and
diving medical officer training at the Naval
Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City,
Florida, and was designated a Radiation Health
Officer and Undersea Medical Officer. She was then
assigned as the Submarine Squadron Fourteen
Medical Department Head in Holy Loch, Scotland.
During that assignment she dove with US Navy
divers and Naval Special Warfare Unit Two Seals
and performed numerous medical evacuations from US
submarines.  After two years of operational
experience she was designated as a Naval Submarine
Medical Officer and Diving Medical Officer.

Clark underwent six months of aeromedical training
at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in
Pensacola, Florida and was designated as a Naval
Flight Surgeon. She was stationed at MCAS Yuma,
Arizona and assigned as Flight Surgeon for a
Marine Corps AV-8B Night Attack Harrier Squadron
(VMA 211). She made numerous deployments,
including one overseas to the Western Pacific,
practiced medicine in austere environments, and
flew on multiple aircraft. Her squadron won the
Marine Attack Squadron of the year for its
successful deployment. She was then assigned as
the Group Flight Surgeon for the Marine Aircraft
Group (MAG 13).

Prior to her selection as an astronaut candidate
she served as a Flight Surgeon for the Naval
Flight Officer advanced training squadron (VT-86)
in Pensacola, Florida. Clark was Board Certified
by the National Board of Medical Examiners and
held a Wisconsin Medical License. Her military
qualifications included Radiation Health Officer,
Undersea Medical Officer, Diving Medical Officer,
Submarine Medical Officer, and Naval Flight
Surgeon. She was a Basic Life Support Instructor,
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider, Advanced
Trauma Life Support Provider, and Hyperbaric
Chamber Advisor.

==NASA experience==
Selected by NASA in April 1996, Dr. Clark reported
to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. After
completing two years of training and evaluation,
she was qualified for flight assignment as a
mission specialist. From July 1997 to August 2000
Dr. Clark worked in the Astronaut Office
Payloads/Habitability Branch. Dr. Clark flew
aboard STS-107, logging 15 days, 22 hours, and 20
minutes in space.

==Space flight experience==
STS-107 Columbia (January 16 to February 1, 2003).
The 16-day flight was a dedicated science and
research mission. Working 24 hours a day, in two
alternating shifts, the crew successfully
conducted approximately 80 experiments. The
STS-107 mission ended abruptly on February 1, 2003
when Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew perished
during entry, 16 minutes before scheduled landing.

==External links==
*http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/clark.html
NASA biography
*http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-
107/memorial/clark.html Laurel Clark STS-107 Crew
Memorial
*http://www.laurelclark.org/ Official Memorial
Website
*http://racine.wi.net/clarkletter.php3 Letter Home
from Space