Claude Nicollier
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| Claude Nicollier | |
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| ESA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Born | September 2, 1944 Vevey, Switzerland |
| Other occupation | Test Pilot |
| Space time | 42d 12h 05m |
| Selection | 1978 ESA Group |
| Missions | STS-46, STS-61, STS-75, STS-103 |
| Mission insignia |
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Claude Nicollier (born September 2, 1944 in Vevey, Switzerland) is the first astronaut from Switzerland and has flown on several Space Shuttle missions. He was appointed full professor of Spatial Technology at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne on 28 March 2007.[1]
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[edit] Background
After graduating from the Gymnase de Lausanne (high school) in Lausanne in 1962, he studied physics at the University of Lausanne and received a bachelor of science in 1970. He then worked as a graduate scientist from 1970 to 1973 at the Institute of Astronomy at the University and at the Geneva Observatory, before obtaining a master of science degree in astrophysics from the University of Geneva in 1975. In parallel, he became a Swiss Air Force pilot in 1966, where he holds a commission as captain, and has logged 5600 hours flying time, including 4,000 hours in jet aircraft. Later, in 1988, he graduated as a test pilot from the Empire Test Pilot’s School in Boscombe Down, United Kingdom.
Concurrently with his part-time research activities, he joined the Swiss Air Transport School in Zürich and became an airline pilot in 1974, assigned as a DC-9 pilot for Swissair. At the end of 1976, he accepted a Fellowship at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Science Department at Noordwijk, Netherlands, where he worked as a research scientist in various airborne infrared astronomy programs. In July 1978, he was selected by ESA as a member of the first group of European astronauts. Under agreement between ESA and NASA, he joined the NASA astronaut candidates selected in May 1980 for astronaut training as a mission specialist.
His technical assignments in the Astronaut Office have included flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL), participation in the development of retrieval techniques for the Tethered Satellite System (TSS), Remote Manipulator System (RMS), and International Space Station (ISS) robotics support. From the Spring of 1996 to the end of 1998, he was Head of the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch. From the year 2000 on, he was assigned to the Astronaut Office EVA (Extravehicular Activity) Branch, while maintaining a position as Lead ESA astronaut in Houston. Nicollier retired from ESA in April 2007.
In 2004, he started teaching at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and became a full professor in March 2007.
He is widowed (Susana Perez of Monterrey, Mexico died December 2007). They have two daughters, Maya (born in 1974) and Marina (born in 1978).
He is member of the Swiss Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Swiss Air Force Officers Society (AVIA), and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences and fellow of the British Interplanetary Society. He is also an honorary member of the Swiss Aero Club, the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects, and the Swiss Astronomy Day Society.
[edit] Space activities
Nicollier has spent over 1000 hours in space (42 days, 12 hours and 5 minutes), including one space walk durating 8 hours and 10 minutes. He served as mission specialist on four missions with four different space shuttles:
- STS-46 in 1992. European Retrievable Carrier EURECA Atlantis
- STS-61 in 1993. Hubble Servicing Mission 2 Endeavour
- STS-75 in 1996. TSS-1R Italian mission Columbia
- STS-103 in 1999. Hubble Servicing Mission 3A Discovery
[edit] Awards and honors
- Swiss Astronomy Award (2007)
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (2001)
- NASA Space Flight Medals (1992, 1993, 1996, 1999)
- Prix d'honneur de la Fondation Pro Aero, Switzerland (1992)
- Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal from the International Aeronautical Federation (1994)
- Silver Medal from the Académie Nationale de l'Air et de l'Espace, France (1994)
- Collier Trophy (awarded to the crew of STS-61) from the National Aeronautics Association (1994)
- Prix de l'Université de Lausanne (1994)
- Honorary doctorates from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, and the University of Geneva (both in 1994).
[edit] Notes
- ^ EPFL press release: Claude Nicollier nommé professeur ordinaire de technologies spatiales, 28 March 2007.
This article is originally based on Claude Nicollier's bibliography from NASA, which is in the public domain.
