- Andy Thomas
Infobox Astronaut
name = Andrew "Andy" Thomas
|thumb|150px|Andy Thomas (Astronaut)]
type =NASA Astronaut
status = Active
nationality = American
date_birth = 18 December 1951
place_birth =Adelaide ,South Australia
occupation =
selection = 1992 NASA Group
time = 177d 9h 14m
mission =STS-77 ,STS-89 ,Mir ,STS-91 ,STS-102 ,STS-114
insignia =Andrew "Andy" Sydney Withiel Thomas (born 18 December 1951 in
Adelaide ,South Australia ) is an Australian-born U.S.aerospace engineer and aNASA astronaut . He became a U.S. citizen in December 1986, hoping to gain entry to NASA's astronaut program. [ [http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/92/release_1992_1430.html JPL NASA - Press release 1992 1430:(April 2, 1992)Dr. Andrew S. W. Thomas has been selected as one of 19 new astronaut candidates for the Space Shuttle program] ] He is married to NASA astronautShannon Walker .Education
Educated at
St Andrews School andSt Peter's College, Adelaide before receiving a bachelor of engineering degree inmechanical engineering (with First Class honors) from theUniversity of Adelaide in 1973. He completed adoctorate in the same subject at the University of Adelaide in 1978.Citation | last = Halfpenny | first = Kate | title = Rocketman | newspaper = Who Weekly | pages = 39 | year = 1996 | date = 1996-06-03 ]He appears in the 1972 edition of the
Adelaide University Engineering Society 's annual publication, "Hysteresis". The caption below a photograph of the young Thomas reads:quotation
""A.S.W. (Syd) Thomas: Hides his massive intellect behind a screen of silence and hair. His abilities are varied and include designing wine labels for the A.U.E.S."
Hysteresis 1972, pg 27 [ [http://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/info/mags/1972.pdf The University of Adelaide - School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering - Hysteresis 1972, pg 27] ]Early career
As a child Andrew Thomas was fascinated by space. His father has described how he started building
model rocket s from cardboard and plastics. After completing his studies, Thomas accepted an offer fromLockheed in Atlanta. By 1990 he was the organizations principal aerodynamic scientist. His career continued in the field, steering towards more senior research positions.paceflight experience
In August 1993, following one year of training, Thomas was appointed a member of the NASA astronaut corps and was qualified for assignment as a
Mission Specialist onSpace Shuttle flight crews.In June 1995, Thomas was named
Payload Commander forSTS-77 , subsequently making his first space flight on board the Space Shuttle "Endeavour" in May 1996. AlthoughPaul D. Scully-Power had entered orbit as an oceanographer in 1985, Thomas was Australia's first official astronaut to enter space.He then undertook long-duration flight training at the
Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center inStar City, Russia before serving 130 days as Board Engineer 2 onboard the Russian space stationMir in 1998, launching onSTS-89 and returning onSTS-91 . His third space flight,STS-102 , increased his time spent in space to more than 177 days. For his fourth flight, he was aMission Specialist on the "Discovery" "return to flight" mission (STS-114 ) that launched at 14:39UTC , 26 July 2005.He has served as Deputy Chief of
NASA 's Astronaut Office.ee also
*
Philip K. Chapman References
External links
* [http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/thomas-a.html NASA Astronaut Bio: Andrew S. W. Thomas (Ph.D.)(1/2008)]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Science/Astronaut-blasts-lack-of-research-into-space/2005/03/19/1111086067283.html?oneclick=true Astronaut blasts lack of research into space] (The Sun-Herald, May 20, 2004): Comments from Thomas about state of Australian space science
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