Astronaut and UC Davis alum Tracy C. Dyson headed to the International Space Station for 3rd mission – KCRA Sacramento

A NASA astronaut with Northern California ties is set to begin her third mission in space this week. Tracy C. Dyson, who earned a doctorate in chemistry at UC Davis in 1997, is one of three crew members who will blast off from Kazakhstan on Thursday to support Expedition 70 for a mission to the International Space Station. Her launch was set for Thursday morning but was delayed with less than 20 seconds left before takeoff. It is unclear when the launch will be rescheduled.Dyson will spend six months on the space station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer before returning to Earth in September. She told UC Davis for its Letters & Science magazine that her mission will include experiments and technology demonstrations. Among them will be a study on how fire spreads in space, though she is also ready to take on other tasks should the plan change. If theres anything Ive learned in the 25 years that Ive been doing this, its that the plan changes, she told the magazine. According to her NASA bio, Dyson previously spent more than 188 days in space, which involved more than 22 hours in three spacewalks. She was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor in 2007 and a flight engineer for Expedition 23/24 in 2010. Dyson grew up in Southern California and went on to compete in track and field while an undergrad at Cal State Fullerton, where she earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry. She became a pilot while attending grad school in Davis and also learned Russian and American Sign Language. NASA invited her to begin training as an astronaut about a year after she began post-doc studies at UC Irvine, according to Letters & Science magazine. The magazine reported that Dyson has also served as a consultant to The Martian movie and its star, Jessica Chastain. Dyson also has TV experience, serving as a host for NASAs StationLife series, and also as a guest judge on Cupcake Wars. NASA's launch coverage will air on NASA+, NASA Television, YouTube and NASAs website. | VIDEO BELOW | NASA seeks new astronauts. What to know

A NASA astronaut with Northern California ties is set to begin her third mission in space this week.

Tracy C. Dyson, who earned a doctorate in chemistry at UC Davis in 1997, is one of three crew members who will blast off from Kazakhstan on Thursday to support Expedition 70 for a mission to the International Space Station.

Her launch was set for Thursday morning but was delayed with less than 20 seconds left before takeoff. It is unclear when the launch will be rescheduled.

Dyson will spend six months on the space station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer before returning to Earth in September.

She told UC Davis for its Letters & Science magazine that her mission will include experiments and technology demonstrations. Among them will be a study on how fire spreads in space, though she is also ready to take on other tasks should the plan change.

NASA

If theres anything Ive learned in the 25 years that Ive been doing this, its that the plan changes, she told the magazine.

According to her NASA bio, Dyson previously spent more than 188 days in space, which involved more than 22 hours in three spacewalks.

She was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor in 2007 and a flight engineer for Expedition 23/24 in 2010.

Dyson grew up in Southern California and went on to compete in track and field while an undergrad at Cal State Fullerton, where she earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry.

She became a pilot while attending grad school in Davis and also learned Russian and American Sign Language.

NASA invited her to begin training as an astronaut about a year after she began post-doc studies at UC Irvine, according to Letters & Science magazine.

The magazine reported that Dyson has also served as a consultant to The Martian movie and its star, Jessica Chastain.

Dyson also has TV experience, serving as a host for NASAs StationLife series, and also as a guest judge on Cupcake Wars.

NASA's launch coverage will air on NASA+, NASA Television, YouTube and NASAs website.

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| VIDEO BELOW | NASA seeks new astronauts. What to know

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Astronaut and UC Davis alum Tracy C. Dyson headed to the International Space Station for 3rd mission - KCRA Sacramento