Frank De Winne
The Viscount De Winne | |
---|---|
1998 ESA Group | |
Missions | Soyuz TMA-1/TM-34, Soyuz TMA-15 (Expedition 20/21) |
Mission insignia |
Frank, Viscount De Winne (born 25 April 1961, in
Education
De Winne graduated in 1979 from the Royal School of Cadets in Lier. In 1984, he graduated from the Royal Military Academy with the degree of Master of Sciences in Engineering (Polytechnics).[2]
Military career
De Winne followed the elementary flying school of the
From December 1992, Major of Royal Belgian Air Component De Winne operated as a test pilot for the Belgian Air Force. From January 1994 until April 1995, he was responsible for flight safety of the 1st Fighter Wing operating from Beauvechain air base. From April 1995 to July 1996, he was attached as senior test pilot to the European Participating Air Forces at Edwards Air Force Base in California where he worked on the mid-life update of the F-16 aircraft, focusing on radar testing. From 1996 to August 1998, he was senior test pilot in the Belgian Air Force, responsible for all test programmes and for all pilot-vehicle interfaces for future aircraft/software updates.[2]
On 12 February 1997 De Winne encountered engine problems while flying in an
In August 1998, De Winne became commander of the
De Winne has collected over 2.300 flying hours in Mirage, F-16, Tornado and Jaguar. He also serves as the Chairman of the Belgian Armed Forces Flying Personnel Association.
He currently holds the rank of
Astronaut career
In October 1998, Frank De Winne was selected as an astronaut candidate by the
De Winne's first spaceflight (30 October - 10 November 2002) was a trip as a flight engineer to the International Space Station in 2002, traveling to the station aboard Soyuz TMA-1 and returning aboard Soyuz TM-34. During his time in space, De Winne carried out successfully a programme of 23 experiments in the fields of life and physical sciences and education.
He was the back-up crew member for Léopold Eyharts of ISS Expedition 16.
On 20 September 2007 ESA announced that De Winne would take part in a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station in 2009.[5][6] On 21 November 2008, NASA announced changes to the Expedition schedule, with De Winne becoming Commander of Expedition 21.[7] On 27 May 2009 De Winne launched aboard Soyuz TMA-15, becoming the first astronaut from the European Space Agency to command a space mission.[7]
Honors, awards and arms
- Officer of the Order of Leopold
- Officer of the Order of the Crown
- Officer of the Order of Leopold II
- Military Cross 1st class
- Campaign Medal for foreign operations
- NATO Medal for Kosovo
- Officer of the Order of Oranje-Nassau (Netherlands)
- Russian Federation)
- Royal Aeronautical Society Silver Medal (2010)
- McKenna Trophy
- Joe Bill Dryden Semper Viper Award
- On 20 December 2002 Frank De Winne was ennobled a viscount in the Belgian nobility as a reward for his space achievements.
- In 2003, De Winne received an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University.
- Honorary doctorate from University of Antwerp
- Honorary doctorate from Ghent University
- Honorary doctorate from University of Liège
- Honorary doctorate form University of Mons
Personal
De Winne is married to Lena Clarke De Winne. He has three children from a previous marriage. He enjoys football, small PC applications and gastronomy.[8] De Winne appeared on screen during the concerts of rock band U2 on their 360° Tour (and on their U2360° at the Rose Bowl concert video) in pre-recorded segments from the International Space Station, reciting lines from the band's songs "Your Blue Room" and "In a Little While".[9]
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the
- ^ "Astronauts and Cosmonauts (Sorted by "Time in Space")".
- ^ a b c d e European Space Agency. "Astronaut biography: Frank De Winne". Retrieved 29 May 2009.
- ^ "Frank de Winne first non-American to receive Semper Viper Award".
- ^ a b Belgian Air Component. "Frank De Winne: May the Stars be with Him". Retrieved 29 May 2009.
- ^ NASA (2008). "NASA Assigns Crews for STS-127 and Expedition 19 Missions". NASA. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ vrtnieuws.net. "flandersnews.be - Belgian astronaut returns to space". Retrieved 20 September 2007.
- ^ a b NASA HQ (2008). "NASA Assigns Space Station Crews, Updates Expedition Numbering". NASA. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
- ^ European Space Agency. "Frank De Winne". European Space Agency. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "U2 > News > Bono and Edge:Space Talk". u2.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.