Nicholas Patrick
Nick Patrick | |
---|---|
NASA astronaut | |
Time in space | 26d 14h 52m |
Selection | NASA Group 17 (1998) |
Missions | STS-116 STS-130 |
Mission insignia | |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Mechanical engineering |
Thesis | Decision-Aiding and Optimization for Vertical Navigation of Long-Haul Aircraft (1996) |
Doctoral advisor | Thomas B. Sheridan |
Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick (born 19 November 1964), is a British-American engineer and a former NASA astronaut. His flight on the 2006 Discovery STS-116 mission made him the fourth person born in the United Kingdom to go into space.[1]
Personal life
Patrick was born in
Education and early career
Patrick was first educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge (receiving an undergraduate degree in Engineering in 1986). During his university years, he learned to fly as a member of the Royal Air Force's Cambridge University Air Squadron. After Cambridge, he worked for four years as an engineer for the Aircraft Engines Division of General Electric, in Lynn, Massachusetts in the United States.
Patrick then attended the
.Space career
NASA career
Patrick was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and reported to NASA's
Patrick has logged over 308 hours in space, having completed his first space mission as a member of the crew of
Patrick notably put the finishing touches on the Tranquility node during STS-130.[4]
In July 2004, Patrick served as an
Patrick retired from the NASA Astronaut Corps in May 2012.[7][2]
NASA spaceflight experience
Owing to both his Scottish ancestry and involvement in the Careers Scotland Space School, Patrick took with him on Discovery a Scottish flag that had been flown at the Scottish Parliament.[3] It is now kept on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.[3]
STS-130 Endeavour (8 to 21 February 2010): This mission launched at night, carrying the International Space Station's final permanent modules: Tranquility and Cupola. Tranquility (or Node 3) is now the life-support hub of the station, containing exercise, water recycling, and environmental control systems, while the Cupola provides the largest set of windows ever to grace a spacecraft. These seven windows, arranged in a hemisphere, provide a spectacular and panoramic view of our planet and a direct view of station robotic operations. During the 13-day, 18-hour mission, Endeavour and her six-member crew traveled more than 5.7 million miles and completed 217 orbits of the Earth, touching down at night at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Blue Origin career
Patrick joined Blue Origin in 2012.[8] He currently holds the positions of New Shepard Flight Director and Senior Director of Human Integration at Blue Origin.[9]
References
- ^ "The seven Britons to go to space". BBC. 15 December 2015.
- ^ a b c "NICHOLAS J. M. PATRICK (PH.D., P.E.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. June 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Scottish Government (29 July 2011). "Scottish Parliament space mission saltire flag lands with National Museums Scotland". Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- ^ "ISS crew in third spacewalk to fit new Tranquility Node". BBC News. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- ^ NASA (3 August 2004). "NEEMO 6". NASA. Archived from the original on 18 November 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ NASA (24 July 2007). "NASA Announces Next Undersea Exploration Mission Dates and Crew". NASA. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ "NASA Astronauts Kenneth Ham and Nicholas Patrick Leave Agency". NASA. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Taylor Soper (20 November 2012). "Veteran NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick joins Blue Origin as human integration architect". GeekWire.
- SPACE.com.
External links
- Nicholas Patrick on Twitter
- "NICHOLAS J. M. PATRICK (PH.D., P.E.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. June 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- Spacefacts biography of Nicholas Patrick