Go behind the scenes of life in orbit with astronaut Karen Nyberg.
In this 45-minute talk, Karen shares her path from a small town to two spaceflights, what it’s really like to live and work aboard the International Space Station, and how she kept creating — and even quilting — in space. A Q&A follows.
Looking for a kid-friendly activity with Karen Nyberg? Check out her storytime and crafting session on December 19 at 10:30 AM!
A Quilt of Stars: Storytime with Astronaut Karen Nyberg
Event Details
Date: Saturday, December 19, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM
This program is FREE for Museum Members and included in the cost of General Admission.
About the Presenter
Dr. Karen Nyberg is an engineer, astronaut, and artist. Karen was selected as a member of the NASA Astronaut Corps in 2000. She made her first trip to space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008, during the height of International Space Station (ISS) construction, delivering and installing the Japanese Laboratory. On her second spaceflight in 2013, Karen launched on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and lived and worked at ISS for 166 days.
Previously, Karen worked as an Environmental Control Systems Engineer at the Johnson Space Center where she led several design and analysis initiatives in the areas of space vehicle and space suit thermal and environmental control. Recently retired from NASA, Karen is currently pursuing interests in the areas of conservation and sustainability, fully appreciating the responsibility for innovation and technology to strive to meet those needs.
