Her first two space shuttle flights, on Endeavour in September 1992 and on Discovery in February 1994, involved operating the Space Habitation Module. During her third flight, on Discovery in August 1997, she was the payload commander who operated the Japanese Manipulator Flight Demonstration robotic arm. Davis joined the Marshall Space Flight Center as an aerospace engineer in 1979 and became an astronaut in 1987. After her flight Davis was assigned to NASA Headquarters as director of human exploration and development of space. Two years later she transferred to the Marshall Space Flight Center as director of flight projects. The Florida native and former resident of Alabama was inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame and the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2001. She retired from NASA in October 2005.