André Kuipers
Dutch - (ESA)
Retired
Date of Birth: Oct. 5, 1958
Age: 67
André Kuipers is a Dutch physician and ESA astronaut. He became the second Dutch citizen, third Dutch-born and fifth 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 returned to Earth on 1 July 2012.
Soyuz-FG | Soyuz TMA-3
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Oct. 18, 2003, 5:38 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:
Soyuz TMA-3 begins Expedition 8 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri alongside Flight Engineers, Michael Foale (NASA) & Pedro Duque (ESA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on April 30, 2004, 00:11:15 UTC
Low Earth OrbitSoyuz-FG | Soyuz TMA-4
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
April 19, 2004, 3:19 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:
Soyuz TMA-4 begins Expedition 9 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka alongside Flight Engineers, Michael Fincke (NASA) & André Kuipers (ESA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on October 24, 2004, 00:35:00 UTC
Low Earth OrbitSoyuz FG | Soyuz TMA-03M
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Dec. 21, 2011, 1:16 p.m.
Status: Success
Mission:
Soyuz TMA-03M begins expedition 30 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko alongside Flight Engineers, André Kuipers (ESA) & Donald Pettit (NASA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on 1 July 2012, 08:14 UTC
Low Earth OrbitThe European Space Agency is an intergovernmental organisation of 22 member states. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Paris, France, ESA has a worldwide staff of about 2,000 employees. ESA's space flight programme includes human spaceflight (mainly through participation in the International Space Station program); the launch and operation of unmanned exploration missions to other planets and the Moon; Earth observation, science and telecommunication; designing launch vehicles; and maintaining a major spaceport, the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou, French Guiana.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 6-100
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
NROL-105
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USATwelfth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office …
Ceres-2
Demo Flight
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaFirst test launch of Galactic Energy’s Ceres-2 rocket.
Long March 3B/E
Shijian 32
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaChinese experimental spacecraft of unknown purposes.
Ceres-1S
Tianqi 37-40
Rizhao offshore launch location - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.
