Michael Foale: Difference between revisions

Colin Michael Foale
Colin Michael Foale
Status	Active
Nationality	British / American
Occupation	Astrophysicist
	Space career
NASA Astronaut
Time in space	373d 18h 18m
Selection	1987 NASA Group
Missions	STS-45, STS-56, STS-63, STS-84, Mir NASA-4, STS-86, STS-103, Soyuz TMA-3, Expedition 8
Mission insignia	File:Sts-45-patch.jpg File:Sts-56-patch.jpg File:Sts-63-patch.jpgFile:STS-84 patch.jpgFile:STS-86 patch.jpg File:Sts-103-patch.jpg

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Revision as of 10:16, 16 September 2007

Colin Michael Foale, CBE, PhD, (born 6 January 1957) is an Anglo-American astrophysicist and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of six space shuttle missions and extended stays on both Mir and the International Space Station. He was the first Briton to perform a space walk, and holds the record for most time spent in space by a UK and US citizen: 374 days, 11 hours, 19 minutes.

Biography

Born in Louth to English father Colin and American mother, he was raised in Cambridge and educated at The King's School, Canterbury. A member of the Air Training Corps, he studied at Queens' College, Cambridge University, receiving a doctorate in laboratory astrophysics in 1982. When he left university he: "owned two pairs of jeans, a donkey jacket, a bicycle and a pilot’s licence; which shows I had my priorities absolutely right.”^[1]

Foale joined the mission operations division of NASA in 1983 aged 24, working on the shuttles navigation system. Having applied and been turned down twice as an astronaut candidate, after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986, Foale changed his application essay from writing about his dreams to focusing on the realities of leadership faced by NASA, and was selected in 1987.^[1]

He flew on space shuttle missions STS-45 (1992), STS-56 (1993) and STS-63 (1995). In the latter mission he undertook a four-hour EVA. He was then selected for an extended mission aboard the Russian Mir space station. Launched by STS-84 and returned by STS-86, Foale spent four months on Mir in 1997. During his stay, the station was struck by a Progress resupply vessel. Using his physics degree from calculations of how the stars were moving pasted his fixed-point thumb reference on a window, Foale was able to advise ground control of how to stop the resulting roll.^[1] He then conducted a six-hour EVA to inspect exterior damage.

In 1999, Foale was a member of space shuttle mission STS-103, during which he conducted an 8-hour spacewalk to replace components of the Hubble Space Telescope. In 2003, Foale was named commander of International Space Station Expedition 8 with cosmonaut Alexandr Kaleri. His six-month tour of duty on the station ended on April 29, 2004. Foale is currently Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Operations at NASA HQ, Washington D.C.

Foale was awarded a CBE in the diplomatic list of the New Year Honours in December 2004.

Personal life

Married with two children, the family live in Houston, Texas. Foale was the driver of a car in 1980 in Yugoslavia, when a truck accidentally veered across the road and smashed into his car, killing his then girlfriend and his brother.^[1]

Foale's father, Colin Foale, wrote a book in 199 titled "Waystation to the Stars"' Foale's experiences on Mir. He has never owned a brand new car, and his hobbies include surfing and cross-country skiing. Foale is qualified to fly both fixed wing aeroplanes up to fast jets, as well as helicopters.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d On the move: Michael Foale Sunday Times - September 16, 2007

External links

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[Times1-1] On the move: Michael Foale Sunday Times - September 16, 2007

[1]

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 ==Biography==
-Born in [[Louth, Lincolnshire|Louth]] to an English father and American mother, and raised in [[Cambridge]], Foale was educated at [[The King's School, Canterbury]]. A member of the [[Air Training Corps]], he studied at [[Queens' College, Cambridge|Queens' College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]], receiving a [[doctorate]] in laboratory astrophysics in 1982. When he left university he: ''"owned two pairs of jeans, a donkey jacket, a bicycle and a pilot’s licence; which shows I had my priorities absolutely right.”''<ref name="Times1">[http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article2452476.ece On the move: Michael Foale] Sunday Times - September 16, 2007</ref>
+Born in [[Louth, Lincolnshire|Louth]] to English father Colin and American mother, he was raised in [[Cambridge]] and educated at [[The King's School, Canterbury]]. A member of the [[Air Training Corps]], he studied at [[Queens' College, Cambridge|Queens' College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]], receiving a [[doctorate]] in laboratory astrophysics in 1982. When he left university he: ''"owned two pairs of jeans, a donkey jacket, a bicycle and a pilot’s licence; which shows I had my priorities absolutely right.”''<ref name="Times1">[http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article2452476.ece On the move: Michael Foale] Sunday Times - September 16, 2007</ref>
-In his youth, Michael was a member of the [[Air Training Corps]] (UK Air Cadets)
+Foale joined the mission operations division of [[NASA]] in 1983 aged 24, working on the shuttles navigation system. Having applied and been turned down twice as an astronaut candidate, after the [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster]] in January 1986, Foale changed his application [[essay]] from writing about his dreams to focusing on the realities of leadership faced by NASA, and was selected in [[1987]].<ref name="Times1"/>
 [[Image:Foale_ZeroG.jpg|left|thumb|Michael Foale (foreground) exercising on the [[International Space Station|ISS]]<br>(click to enlarge)]]
-Foale joined the mission operations division of [[NASA]] in 1983 and was selected as an astronaut candidate in [[1987]]. He flew on space shuttle missions [[STS-45]] ([[1992]]), [[STS-56]] ([[1993]]) and [[STS-63]] ([[1995]]). In the latter mission he undertook a four-hour [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]]. He was then selected for an extended mission aboard the Russian [[Mir]] space station. Launched by [[STS-84]] and returned by [[STS-86]], Foale spent four months on Mir in 1997. During his stay, the station was struck by a [[Progress spacecraft|Progress]] resupply vessel and Foale conducted a six-hour EVA to inspect exterior damage. Foale's father, Colin Foale, wrote a book titled 'Waystation to the Stars' (originally published in 1999) about Michael's experiences on Mir.
+He flew on space shuttle missions [[STS-45]] ([[1992]]), [[STS-56]] ([[1993]]) and [[STS-63]] ([[1995]]). In the latter mission he undertook a four-hour [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]]. He was then selected for an extended mission aboard the Russian [[Mir]] space station. Launched by [[STS-84]] and returned by [[STS-86]], Foale spent four months on Mir in 1997. During his stay, the station was struck by a [[Progress spacecraft|Progress]] resupply vessel. Using his physics degree from calculations of how the stars were moving pasted his fixed-point [[thumb]] reference on a window, Foale was able to advise ground control of how to stop the resulting roll.<ref name="Times1"/> He then conducted a six-hour EVA to inspect exterior damage.
-In 1999, Foale was a member of space shuttle mission [[STS-103]], during which he conducted an 8-hour spacewalk to replace components of the [[Hubble Space Telescope]].
-In 2003, Foale was named commander of [[International Space Station]] '''[[Expedition 8]]''' with cosmonaut [[Alexandr Kaleri]]. His six-month tour of duty on the station ended on [[April 29]], [[2004]].
+In 1999, Foale was a member of space shuttle mission [[STS-103]], during which he conducted an 8-hour spacewalk to replace components of the [[Hubble Space Telescope]]. In 2003, Foale was named commander of [[International Space Station]] '''[[Expedition 8]]''' with cosmonaut [[Alexandr Kaleri]]. His six-month tour of duty on the station ended on [[April 29]], [[2004]]. Foale is currently Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Operations at NASA HQ, [[Washington D.C.]]
-He was awarded a [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the diplomatic list of the [[New Year Honours]] in December [[2004]].
+Foale was awarded a [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the diplomatic list of the [[New Year Honours]] in December [[2004]].
-He is currently Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Operations at NASA HQ, Washington D.C.
 ===Personal life===
-Married with two children, the family live in Houston, Texas. Foale was the driver of a car in 1980 in Yugoslavia, when a truck accidently veered across the road and smashed into his car, killing his then girlfriend and his brother.<ref name="Times1"/>
+Married with two children, the family live in Houston, Texas. Foale was the driver of a car in 1980 in [[Yugoslavia]], when a truck accidentally veered across the road and smashed into his car, killing his then girlfriend and his brother.<ref name="Times1"/>
-Foales hobbies include [[surfing]] and [[cross-country skiing]]. He is qualified to fly both fixed wing aeroplanes up to fast jets, as well as helicopters.
+Foale's father, Colin Foale, wrote a book in 199 titled ''"Waystation to the Stars"''' Foale's experiences on Mir. He has never owned a brand new car, and his hobbies include [[surfing]] and [[cross-country skiing]]. Foale is qualified to fly both fixed wing aeroplanes up to fast jets, as well as helicopters.
 ==References==

v t e Shuttle–Mir program
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Mir Soyuz
Missions	STS-60 STS-63 Soyuz TM-21 STS-71 STS-74 STS-76 STS-79 STS-81 STS-84 STS-86 STS-89 STS-91
Increments	Thagard Lucid Blaha Linenger Foale Wolf Thomas