![]() | This biographical article is written like a résumé. (June 2023) |
Vanessa O'Brien | |
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![]() Vanessa O'Brien in 2015 | |
Born | Grosse Pointe, Michigan, U.S. | 2 December 1964
Nationality | British and American (Dual-citizenship) |
Alma mater | New York University Stern School of Business |
Occupation(s) | Mountaineer, Sub-orbital spaceflight participant, Explorer, Aquanaut and Author |
Known for |
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Notable work | To The Greatest Heights
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Spouse | Jonathan O'Brien |
Awards |
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Website | www |
Space career | |
Blue Origin Sub-orbital spaceflight Participant | |
Flight time | 10 minutes, 20 seconds |
Missions | Blue Origin NS-22 |
Mission insignia | ![]() |
Vanessa Audi Rhys O'Brien (born 2 December 1964) is a British and American mountaineer, sub-orbital spaceflight participant, explorer, author and former business executive.[2][3] On 4 August 2022, O'Brien became the first woman to complete the Explorers' Extreme Trifecta – reaching extremes on land, sea, and air after she passed the Kármán line as part of Blue Origin NS-22 spaceflight.[4] On 12 June 2020, O'Brien became the first woman to reach Earth's highest and lowest points, receiving a Guinness World Record.[5] She became the first American woman to climb K2 and the first British[6][7][8] woman to climb K2 and return safely (as a result of her dual nationality) on 28 July 2017, successfully leading a team of 12 members to the summit and back on her third attempt.[9][10][11] She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and an Honorary Advisory Member of The Scientific Exploration Society (SES).[12]
O'Brien received a Fearless Girl Award in 2019 and was awarded Explorer of The Year in 2018 by SES.[13] She set a Guinness World Record for climbing the highest peak on every continent in 295 days, the fastest time by a woman.[14] O'Brien has also skied the last 60 nautical miles or 111 km to the South Pole and North Pole completing the Explorers Grand Slam in 11 months,[15][16] becoming the first woman to do so in under a calendar year and the 8th woman in the world to accomplish this.[17]