André Kuipers
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André Kuipers
| André Kuipers | |
|---|---|
 André Kuipers takes a break from training to pose for a photo at Johnson Space Center (JSC). |
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| ESA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Status | Active |
| Born | 5 October 1958 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Other occupation | Physician |
| Time in space | Currently in space |
| Selection | 1998 ESA Group |
| Missions | DELTA (i.e. Soyuz TMA-4 and Soyuz TMA-3), Soyuz TMA-03M, Expedition 30 Expedition 31 |
| Mission insignia |      |
André Kuipers (Dutch: [ˈɑndreɪ ˈkœʏpərs] (
listen)) (born in Amsterdam, 5 October 1958) is a Dutch physician and ESA astronaut. He became the second Dutch citizen, third Dutch-born and fifth[citation needed] Dutch-speaking astronaut upon launch of Soyuz TMA-4 on 19 April 2004. Kuipers returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-3 11 days later.
Kuipers is the first Dutch astronaut to return to space. On 5 August 2009, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Maria van der Hoeven, announced Kuipers was selected as an astronaut for International Space Station (ISS) Expeditions 30 and 31. He was launched to space on 21 December 2011 and is scheduled to return to Earth in June 2012.[1]
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Personal life and education
André Kuipers was born on 5 October 1958 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He graduated from high school in Amsterdam in 1977, and received a physician degree from the University of Amsterdam in 1987. He is married and has three daughters and a son.[2]
When interviewed about his youth, Kuipers stated that he dreamed of becoming an astronaut ever since he was a teenager.[3] His dreams became reality when he was selected to the European Astronaut Corps in 1998.
Space flight experience
André Kuipers has flown two space missions: first the DELTA mission in 2004. In May 2009, he served as the backup of Belgian astronaut Frank de Winne, who later became the Expedition 21 commander, during the later part of his six-month mission. On 21 December 2011, Kuipers was launched for his second spaceflight PromISSe on Expedition 30 and Expedition 31. He will return to earth in July 2012.[4]
DELTA Mission
Launch and docking
Using the Soyuz TMA-4, mounted atop a Soyuz-FG rocket, Kuipers and his fellow cosmonauts Gennady Padalka (Russia) and Michael Fincke (USA) rocketed towards the ISS in the early morning of 19 April 2004. The spacecraft flawlessly docked to the ISS two days later.
Experiments
As part of his so-called DELTA mission, Kuipers conducted 21 experiments[5] in orbit on a wide range of subjects: physiology, biology, microbiology, medicine, technological development, physics and Earth observation.[6] Maybe the best-known experiment involved plant growth: Seeds in Space. Kuipers cooperated with primary school children in the Netherlands to compare results of plant growth from orbit with those from Earth.
Landing
Padalka and Fincke remained on board the ISS for six months, as the Expedition 9 crew.
Kuipers returned to Earth nearly eleven days after launch on 30 April, joined by leaving ISS crew members Alexander Kaleri (Russia) and Michael Foale (USA), who thereby ended their six-month stay on board the ISS.
Expedition 30/31
On 26 November 2008, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Maria van der Hoeven pushed for a second, six-month mission of André Kuipers in 2011.[7] In the same speech, she said she would support the ISS project with an extra 'few' million euros.[7]
After a call with ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain on 4 August 2009, Maria van der Hoeven could confirm on 5 August that André Kuipers would be making a second space flight, starting in December 2011.[8] He was the first astronaut to have been selected for ISS Expeditions 30 and 31. Kuipers launched on 21 December 2011 on the Soyuz TMA-03M flight and is scheduled to return in June 2012. He and his two fellow crewmembers arrived at the station on 23 December.[9]
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
- ^ "ESA astronaut André Kuipers to spend six months on the ISS starting in 2011". http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMDZZUHYXF_index_0.html. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ "André Kuipers". http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAMWUZUMOC_astronauts_0.html. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
- ^ "De droom wordt werkelijkheid" (in Dutch). 15 April 2004, prior to his first space flight. http://www.wereldomroep.nl/actua/nl/wetenschap/Ruimtevaart/kuipers_special/kuipers_droom040415.html. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ "NASA - Expedition 31". http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition31/index.html. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ "List of Experiments". http://www.esa.int/esaMI/Delta_Mission/SEMGTK1PGQD_0.html. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ "Dutch ESA astronaut goes to ISS with hefty package of scientific experiments". http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Delta_Mission/SEMMKG1PGQD_0.html. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ a b "Kuipers moet uiterlijk in 2011 de ruimte in" (in Dutch). http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/264732/Kuipers-uiterlijk-2011-de-ruimte-in.html. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ "André Kuipers opnieuw de ruimte in" (in Dutch). http://www.ez.nl/Actueel/Pers_en_nieuwsberichten/Nieuwsberichten_2009/Augustus/Andr_Kuipers_opnieuw_de_ruimte_in. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ Klotz, Irene (23 December 2011). "New crew arrives at International Space Station". Reuters. http://af.reuters.com/article/southAfricaNews/idAFN1E7BM09720111223. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
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