Soyuz TMA-9 launched 2006

Soyuz TMA-9 crew (L-R): Michael Lopez-Alegria, Anousheh Ansari, Mikhail Tyurin

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-9, launched September 18, 2006, transported a tourist to the International Space Station and another back to Earth.  Its crew consisted of Commander Mikhail Tyurin (Roscosmos) and Michael Lopez-Alegria (NASA).  Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer, was the first self-funded woman in space, the fourth overall self-funded space tourist, and the first Iranian in space.

Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria were part of Expedition 14.  They returned to Earth in April 2007 with space tourist Charles Simonyi, the second Hungarian in space.  Ansari stayed only 9 days aboard the ISS.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Michael López-Alegría!

Michael Lopez-Alegria, born May 30, 1958 in Madrid, Spain, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions and one Soyuz mission.  He was raised in Mission Viejo, California and became a Naval Aviator in 1981.  Part of his naval experience was over here at the NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

His first mission in space was on Columbia (STS-73) October-November 1995 as mission specialist.

His second trip was on Discovery (STS-92) in October 2000 as mission specialist. He conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut Peter Wisoff.

His third shuttle mission was as mission specialist on Endeavour (STS-113) November-December 2002.  Lopez-Alegria conducted 3 more EVAs with fellow astronaut John Herrington.

His fourth and final flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-9, launched September 18, 2006 to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14.  He returned to Earth April 21, 2007.

He holds the second all-time record for EVA duration (67 hours, 40 minutes).  He has the third longest stay in space of American astronauts - 215 days.

Lopez-Alegria retired from NASA March 12, 2012.

Happy birthday, German astronaut Thomas Reiter!

German astronaut Thomas Reiter, born May 23, 1958 in Frankfurt, West Germany, went into space for the European Space Agency.  He has spent over 350 days in space, more than any non-American or non-Russian.  He is also the first German to perform an EVA.

His first trip into space was aboard Soyuz TM-22 to the space station Mir.  He was part of expedition Mir EO-20 from September 1995 to February 1996.  During this time he conducted two EVAs, becoming the first German to perform a space walk. 

His second trip was aboard Discovery (STS-121) to the International Space Station as a mission specialist in July 2006, when he became part of Expedition 13.  He remained on board the ISS to become a member of Expedition 14.  He was replaced by Sunita Williams in December, aboard Discovery (STS-116).