FR Chang-Díaz 05.04.1950

[mss]

After Thirty Years – A Promise Fulfilled

On January 12, 1986, the crew of STS 61C suited up and headed for the Space Shuttle launch pad.  They had been trying get into orbit since December 18…with many grueling attempts that had worn them (and their families) out.  But this day was the right day: no malfunctioning equipment, no boats in the restricted area off the coast, no weather problems in Florida or at the overseas emergency landing sites.  The countdown proceeded, and soon they were in orbit.

Since crewmember Franklin Chang was the first astronaut from Costa Rica, there was a live down-linked press conference with the crew from space with then-President Monge.  Franklin promised to bring his crew for a visit after the flight.  The flight landed on January 18, 1986.  Ten days later, the Challenger exploded, and all post flight celebrations were cancelled.

It wasn’t until 2016 that Franklin was able to coordinate a crew visit to his country.  Only four members of the crew could attend.

All Shuttle crews were unique, and this one was no exception.

My husband, Hoot Gibson, was a first-time commander and had made the past year of training fun.  He would go on to command three more flights and become chief of the Astronaut Office, but this was his first opportunity to land the vehicle and mold the crew into a successful team.

Charlie Bolden was the pilot.  He had grown up in South Carolina in the 1960s.  While he had the credentials to attend the United States Naval Academy, no one in his state’s congressional delegation would nominate him.  He wrote to President Johnson who managed to get a Chicago congressman’s recommendation.  He went on to graduate from the academy, becoming a pilot and then an astronaut.  Eventually, he became a two-star Marine Corps General and finally the NASA Administrator.

Franklin Chang Diaz grew up in Costa Rica and watched the early United States space flights at the U.S. Embassy as a little boy.  It was then that he decided to become an astronaut.  At 17 he went to live with a relative in Connecticut.  In the next ten years, he learned to speak English, became a U.S. citizen, and earned a Ph.D. in plasma physics from MIT.

Bill Nelson’s life followed a different path.  A fifth-generation Floridian, his family owned land along Florida’s Space Coast, and he represented his home district—first in the state legislature and then in the United States Congress.  In 1985, he was offered a seat aboard the Shuttle.  Later, he became a U.S. senator and has been invaluable in being a knowledgeable and strong supporter of the nation’s space program.

With Franklin’s superstar status in Costa Rica, the crew was treated like royalty in his beautiful country.  They met with government dignitaries, including the American ambassador, and they visited EARTH University, a premier institution working toward an ecologically better world. It is here where Franklin is designing a plasma rocket to make the trip to Mars faster.

The highlight of the trip was s visit with former president Monge.  Ninety years old, frail and infirm—yet mentally clear, he graciously agreed to meet with Franklin’s crew.  After introductions of the crew and their spouses and cordial remembrances of by-gone times, Franklin told the old gentleman that he was fulfilling his promise to bring his crew back to see him to celebrate their flight…thirty years later.  The old man smiled in satisfaction and said poignantly, “And I waited for you.”

[Orionid]

Franklin Ramón Chang-Díaz skończył dziś 73. lata.
Jest jednym z najsłynniejszych astronautów 

Został wyselekcjonowany w ramach NASA grupa 9 (1980).

Jest pomysłodawcą silnika rakietowego VASIMR , który został opracowany przez jego firmę Ad Astra Rocket Company.
Są z nim związane niezwykłe perspektywy zastosowania w astronautyce.

Jest 197. człowiekiem w kosmosie.

Odbył 7 lotów kosmicznych, jako drugi człowiek.

Trwały one łącznie 066d 18h 16m 40s:
12.01.1986-18.01.1986 STS-61C Columbia/F-7 006:02:03:51
18.10.1989-23.10.1989 STS-34 Atlantis/F-5 004:23:39:20
31.07.1992-08.08.1992 STS-46 Atlantis/F-12 007:23:15:02
03.02.1994-11.02.1994 STS-60 Discovery/F-18 008:07:09:22
22.02.1996-09.03.1996 STS-75 Columbia/F-19 015:17:40:20
02.06.1998-12.06.1998 STS-91 Discovery/F-24 009:19:53:53
05.06.2002-19.06.2002 STS-111 Endeavour/F-18 ISS-UF2 013:20:34:52

Wykonał 3 spacery kosmiczne, które trwały w sumie 19h 31m.

05.04.1950 urodził się w San Josè w Kostaryce.

Jest wnukiem chińskiego imigranta.

11.1967 ukończył Colegio De La Salle w San Jose.

1969 ukończył Hartford High School w Hartford w stanie Connecticut.

05.1973 ukończył studia na University of Connecticut, uzyskując tytuł licencjata w dziedzinie inżynierii mechanicznej.

Podczas studiów na University of Connecticut pracował jako asystent na wydziale fizyki i brał udział w opracowywaniu eksperymentów dotyczących zderzeń atomów o wysokiej energii.

09.1977 obronił rozprawę doktorską z zakresu fizyki plazmy stosowanej na Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Pracując nad rozprawą doktorską, pracował w Massachusetts Institute of Technology nad zagadnieniami związanymi z amerykańskim programem kontrolowanej fuzji oraz prowadził intensywne badania nad projektowaniem i działaniem reaktorów termojądrowych.

1977 otrzymał obywatelstwo amerykańskie.

1977 dołączył do Charles Stark Draper Laboratory w Cambridge.
Pracował tam nad rozwojem systemów sterowania dla zaawansowanych reaktorów termojądrowych i instalacji eksperymentalnych z ograniczeniem plazmy.

1979 opracował nową koncepcję wprowadzania elementów paliwowych do instalacji termojądrowych z bezwładnościowym utrzymaniem plazmy.

08.1981 po ukończeniu szkolenia podstawowego otrzymał kwalifikacje specjalisty misji i został przydzielony do Biura Astronautów NASA.

1982-1983 był członkiem załogi wsparcia i operatorem łączności (CAPCOM) podczas misji STS-9.

10.1983-12.1993 po przyjęciu do korpusu astronautów i ukończeniu ogólnego szkolenia kosmicznego prowadził badania nad zaawansowanymi rakietami plazmowymi w M.I.T. Plasma Fusion Center.

Ponadto przez dwa i pół roku pełnił funkcję dyrektora towarzystwa eksperymentalnego dla osób upośledzonych umysłowo oraz był doradcą i instruktorem w programie rehabilitacyjnym dla latynoskich narkomanów w Massachusetts.

Pracował przy testowaniu oprogramowania lotu w symulatorze elektronicznym wahadłowca.

10.1984-08.1985 był liderem Grupy Wsparcia Astronautów w KSC.

1984 został przydzielony do szkolenia do misji STS-51I.

Początek 1985 został przeniesiony do załogi misji STS-51L

07.1985 został przeniesiony do załogi misji STS-61C.

STS-61C Columbia

01.1989 został mianowany szefem Astronaut Science Support Group.

Początek 1989 został przydzielony do misji STS-34.

STS-34 Atlantis

11.1989 został wyznaczony do odbycia szkolenia do misji STS-46.

STS-46 Atlantis

12.1993 został dyrektorem Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory w JSC.

STS-60 Discovery

1996-1997 był szefem oddziału planowania operacyjnego w biurze astronautów NASA.

STS-75 Columbia

STS-91 Discovery

03.07.2001 został przydzielony do załogi STS-111 jako Specjalista Misji nr 2.

STS-111 Endeavour

07.2005 przeszedł na emeryturę z korpusu astronautów, gdzie pełnił funkcję kierownika astronautów, a także z NASA.

Po opuszczeniu korpusu astronautów założył i kierował prywatną firmę Ad Astra Technologies, a w 2006 otworzył oddział tej firmy w Kostaryce.

Posiada licencję pilota lotnictwa cywilnego.

Łącznie jego nalot wynosi ponad 1800 godzin, w tym 1500 godzin na samolotach odrzutowych.

Jest profesorem fizyki na Rice University i University of Houston.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/chang-diaz_franklin_0.pdf

http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/chang-diaz_franklin.htm
http://www.astronautix.com/c/chang-diaz.html
https://www.worldspaceflight.com/bios/c/chang-diaz-f.php

https://mek.kosmo.cz/bio/usa/00197.htm
https://www.kozmo-data.sk/kozmonauti/chang-diaz-franklin-ramon.html
https://www.astronaut.ru/crossroad/197.htm
https://www.april12.eu/usaastron/chang197ru.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Chang-D%C3%ADaz
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Chang-D%C3%ADaz
https://wikipedia.lurkmore.com/wiki/Franklin_Chang-Diaz

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hispanic_astronauts

STS-60 https://www.forum.kosmonauta.net/index.php?topic=800.msg128778#msg128778
https://twitter.com/NASAhistory/status/1754935494654235063

To-do list on steroids 💪
Franklin Chang-Diaz, STS-60 payload commander, gets a look at what was believed to be among the longest teleprinted messages in shuttle history, in this photo taken 30 years ago today.
Read more about the STS-60 mission: https://go.nasa.gov/3HDhKMS

https://career.uconn.edu/blog/2022/09/15/latinx-heritage-month-alumni-spotlight-franklin-chang-diaz/
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/special-session-with-dr-franklin-chang-d-az-former-nasa-astronaut/
https://twitter.com/ASE_Astronauts/status/1643645325733756929
https://twitter.com/FranklinChangD/status/1613596977740087296
https://twitter.com/FranklinChangD/status/1632912679185657856
https://twitter.com/airandspace/status/1712976533189472300

Born in San José, Costa Rica, Franklin Chang-Díaz developed a passion for science and space at an early age. He moved to the US to achieve his dream, and when he did, he was the first Latin American immigrant to become a NASA astronaut. A new blog: https://s.si.edu/3rPnaQz #HHM

[Orionid]

STS-75 Flight Day 1


Tell Me A Story: Childhood Memories of "Exploring Space"


Franklin chang, Salon de la fama de NASA


Soy TED | Un Universo Sin Fronteras | Franklin Chang Díaz | Episodio Completo


Franklin Chang Díaz entrevista de 7 Días


Profile of Franklin Chang- Díaz

[Orionid]

Profile Franklin Chang-Diaz

In the late 1960s, a teenaged Franklin Chang-Díaz, speaking not a word of English, left his home country of Costa Rica and headed to the United States with the improbable dream of becoming an astronaut. In 1986, after earning a Ph.D. in plasma physics from MIT, Chang-Díaz took to the stars for the first time aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. He returned to space six more times, setting a record for the most spaceflights, and also helped change the culture at NASA by showing that scientists—not just fighter pilots—had the right stuff to serve as astronauts. In this interview, get a sense of what enabled Chang-Díaz to realize his dream, and glimpse his equally ambitious hopes for the future of space travel.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0403/04-diaz-nf.html

https://spacemen1969.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-avec-franklin-chang-diaz.html
https://x.com/spacemen1969/status/1643522560435400705
https://x.com/spacemen1969/status/1776008091777044611

[Orionid]

Franklin Chang-Díaz, Chairman and CEO, Ad Astra Rocket Company: “The production of hydrogen through the electrolysis of water is a way of storing energy for use when needed”

As you’ve mentioned, you completed seven space missions between 1986 and 2002. What differences would you highlight between the missions you were on and those conducted today?

The complexity of the missions increased as the techniques were perfected. There were big differences between my first mission, in January 1986, and the last, in June 2002. On the earlier missions, our training focused on completing prescribed tasks with great detail. As the missions became more complex, the focus of training changed more towards developing skills that would enable us to face many diverse contingencies. The scientific content of the missions also evolved toward greater complexity and productivity.

https://www.mapfreglobalrisks.com/en/risks-insurance-management/interviews/franklin-chang-diaz-chairman-and-ceo-ad-astra-rocket-company-the-production-of-hydrogen-through-the-electrolysis-of-water-is-a-way-of-storing-energy-for-use-when-needed/

[Orionid]

Składy załóg, których był uczestnikiem (1)

[Orionid]

Składy załóg, których był uczestnikiem (2)

2 29.09.2023)
https://twitter.com/NASAhistory/status/1707402293786575239

Franklin Chang-Díaz, NASA's first Hispanic astronaut, is tied for the record of making the most orbital launches from Earth (7), logging more than 1,601 hours in space. #HHM23 https://go.nasa.gov/3RGk785
❓ Which NASA astronaut shares his record of 7 orbital spaceflights?

3)
https://twitter.com/airandspace/status/1709645768917729655

Franklin Chang Díaz became NASA’s first Hispanic astronaut when he was selected in 1980. He has logged seven spaceflights and more than 1,500 hours in space, including 19 hours during spacewalks. #HispanicHeritageMonth

4)

Did you know that Franklin Chang-Díaz, NASA's first Hispanic-American astronaut, is tied for the world record of most orbital spaceflights? He logged more than 1,500 hours in space over seven shuttle flights! #HispanicHeritageMonth

https://twitter.com/NASAhistory/status/1841485794822803900

[Orionid]

Wywiad z astronautą w języku, którym doskonale się posługuje.

Franklin Chang Díaz: "Así como en este momento hay millones de personas volando en aviones, lo haremos entre planetas"
Domingo, 5 de septiembre de 2021 G. Conte y S. Montiveros



Viajó siete veces al espacio y se independizó de la NASA para crear un motor que podría revolucionar los viajes entre planetas. Ahora la NASA lo respalda como también lo hacen empresas privadas que confían en su creación, un motor inédito. Franklin Chang Díaz, en latinoamericano en la carrera espacial junto a Elon Musk y Richar Branson.

Con siete viajes al espacio exterior en su haber, el exastronauta Franklin Chang Díaz puede decir que ha renacido siete veces tras experimentar situaciones únicas y de privilegio al poder observar la Tierra desde lejos. Para el primer latinoamericano en viajar al espacio exterior eso significó una formación personal a fuego que multiplicó sus conocimientos, expectativas y amplió su mirada sobre al vida y el planeta.
https://www.memo.com.ar/poder/entrevista-franklin-chang-diaz/
https://twitter.com/NASAhistory/status/1799818740281778278

During his seventh and final spaceflight, STS-111 astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz 🇨🇷 🇺🇸 took his first of three spacewalks #OTD in 2002, lasting 7 hours and 14 minutes.
Chang-Diaz shares the record for most orbital spaceflights with NASA's Jerry L. Ross.

Franklin Chang-Diaz Performs a Spacewalk on the STS-111 Mission
NASA Sep 18, 2020


In this mage from June 2002, astronaut Franklin R. Chang-Diaz works with a grapple fixture during a spacewalk to perform work on the International Space Station.

In this image from June 2002, astronaut Franklin R. Chang-Diaz works with a grapple fixture during a spacewalk on the STS-111 mission to perform work on the International Space Station. The first spacewalk of the mission began with the installation of a power and data grapple fixture (PDGF) for the station’s robotic arm on the complex’s P6 truss. The fixture will allow the robotic arm to grip the P6 truss for future station assembly operations. Astronauts Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin (with French space agency, CNES) went on to install the new fixture about halfway up the P6 truss, the vertical structure that currently supports the station’s set of large U.S. solar arrays.

Chang-Diaz is Hispanic of Costa Rican descent. He is also a veteran of seven Space Shuttle missions, tying the record, as of 2018 for the most spaceflights (a record set by Jerry L. Ross).

#HispanicHeritageMonth
Image Credit: NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/franklin-chang-diaz-performs-spacewalk-sts-111-mission/

[Orionid]

Odbył 7 lotów kosmicznych, ale mógł ani razu nie osiągnąć orbity.

#ASEspotlight: Franklin Chang-Díaz 💫
As part of a bailout training exercise at @NASA_Johnson's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in 2002, ASE member
@FranklinChangD simulated a parachute drop into water.
Fun fact: He enjoys soccer and scuba diving!
Happy 75th birthday, Franklin! 🎉

https://twitter.com/ASE_Astronauts/status/1908580635494482269

We wish a very happy 75th birthday to former NASA astronaut, Franklin Chang-Díaz! 🥳
Chang-Díaz was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1980, and flew to space on a whopping seven shuttle missions!

https://x.com/NASAhistory/status/1908519999947370555

Franklin Chang Diaz – Mein Blick von oben
By Franklin Chang Diaz, Former Board Member, Cummins Inc. 10. März 2020


https://www.cummins.com/de/news/2020/03/10/franklin-chang-diaz-my-view-top

Franklin Chang-Díaz: From Immigrant to Innovator
Oct 13, 2023 By Michael Persaud
https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/franklin-chang-diaz-immigrant-innovator

https://www.aaespeakers.com/keynote-speakers/dr-franklin-chang-diaz
https://nhcoa.org/latino-empowerment-dr-franklin-chang-diaz/