Happy birthday, astronaut Brian Duffy!

Brian Duffy, born June 20, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts, has been in space four times. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1975 and was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in June 1985.

His first flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as pilot in March-April 1992.  He spent almost 9 days in space before returning to Earth. 

His second mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-57) as pilot in June-July 1993. He spent 10 days in space before returning to Earth. 

Duffy's third mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-72) as commander January 11-20, 1996. He spent almost 9 days in space before returning to Earth.

His fourth and final mission was aboard Discovery (STS-92) as commander to the International Space Station October 11-24, 2000. He spent 13 days in space before returning to Earth.

Duffy was inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame May 14, 2016.

Happy birthday, astronaut and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden!

Charles Bolden, born August 19, 1946 in Columbia, South Carolina, is a veteran of four space shuttle missions and a former NASA administrator.

His first trip into space was aboard Columbia (STS-61-C) as pilot in January 1986.  He was the second African-American to pilot a space shuttle.

His second trip was aboard Discovery (STS-31) as pilot in April 1990.  The mission launched the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit.

His third trip was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as commander in March-April 1992.  It was a nine-day mission of scientific experiments.

His fourth and final trip was aboard Discovery (STS-60) as commander in February 1994.  During the mission, the crew managed a link-up with the cosmonauts on Mir.

President Obama appointed Bolden as NASA's administrator in 2009.  He resigned from NASA in 2017.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut David Leestma!

David Leestma, born May 6, 1949 in Muskegon, Michigan, is a veteran of three space missions.

His first flight was aboard Challenger (STS-41-G) as mission specialist in October 1984.  He conducted an EVA with fellow astronaut Kathryn Sullivan which lasted 3 hours 29 minutes.  It was filmed as part of the IMAX movie The Dream Is Alive, which aired in 1985.

His second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-28) as mission specialist in August 1989.  It carried a payload for the US Department of Defense into orbit.  They returned to Earth on August 13.

His third and final flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as mission specialist in March-April 1992.  They carried an array of instruments, that were not to be deployed, into space.  They returned to Earth April 2.

Leestma is also a retired Captain in the US Navy.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Byron Lichtenberg!

Byron Lichtenberg, born February 19, 1948 in Pennsylvania, is a payload specialist on two Space Shuttle flights. 

His first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-9) as payload specialist in November-December 1983.  The mission carried the first Spacelab module into orbit. 

His second and final flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as payload specialist in March-April 1992.  The mission carried the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-1) into orbit.

Happy birthday, British/American astronaut Michael Foale!

Michael Foale, born January 6, 1957 in Lincolnshire, England, is a veteran of six space missions.  He is the only NASA astronaut to have spent extended missions on Mir and the International Space Station.  He is the first Briton to perform a spacewalk and holds the record for time-in-space for a UK citizen.

His first mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as mission specialist in March-April 1992.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-56) as mission specialist in April 1993.

His third mission was aboard Discovery (STS-63) as mission specialist in February 1995.  It was the first space shuttle mission to dock with Mir.  He conducted his first EVA with fellow astronaut Bernard Harris, the first African-American astronaut to conduct an EVA.

His fourth mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-84) as mission specialist to Mir launched in May 1997.  He was part of expeditions Mir EO-23 and Mir EO-24.  He returned to Earth aboard Atlantis (STS-86) in October 1997.

His fifth flight was aboard Discovery (STS-103) as mission specialist to service the Hubble Space Telescope in December 1999.  He conducted an EVA with fellow astronaut Claude Nicollier.

His sixth and final mission was aboard Soyuz TMA-3 to the ISS launched in October 2003 as part of Expedition 8.  He conducted an EVA with fellow astronaut Aleksandr Kaleri. He returned to Earth in April 2004.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Kathryn Sullivan!

Kathryn Sullivan, born October 3, 1951 in Paterson, New Jersey, is a veteran of three space shuttle flights and the first American woman to walk in space.  She joined the US Naval Reserve in 1988 and retired as captain in 2006.

Her first flight was aboard Challenger (STS-41-G) in October 1984 as mission specialist.  During this mission she conducted the first EVA for an American woman with fellow astronaut David Leetsma. 

Her second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-31) as mission specialist in April 1990.  The crew deployed the Hubble Space Telescope during the flight.

Sullivan's third and final was aboard Atlantis (STS-45) as mission specialist in March-April 1992.  The crew carried a payload of instruments for scientific experiments, all non-deployable.

Atlantis (STS-45) launched 1992

Seated (L-R): Brian Duffy, Charles Bolden; 

Standing (L-R): Byron Lichtenberg, Michael Foale, David Leestma, Kathryn Sullivan, Dirk Frimout

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-45), launched March 24, 1992, was the 11th flight of Atlantis.  Its crew consisted of Commander Charles Bolden, Pilot Brian Duffy, Mission Specialist Kathryn Sullivan, Mission Specialist David Leestma, Mission Specialist Michael Foale, Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout (first Belgian in space), and Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg. 

During the mission, the crew carried out many scientific experiments.  The original mission was extended for a day so the crew could conduct more experiments.

They returned to Earth April 2.

Happy birthday, Belgian astronaut Dirk Frimout!

Dirk Dries David Damiaan, Viscount Frimout, born March 21, 1941 in Poperinge, Belgium, flew into space aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-45) March-April 1992 as a Payload Specialist for the European Space Agency.  He is the first Belgian in space.

His flight made him famous in Belgian and a ticket tape parade was organized for him upon his return.

First Belgian in space, Space Shuttle Atlantis launched 1992

STS-45 Atlantis crew - Seated (L-R): Pilot Brian Duffy, Commander Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Standing (L-R): Payload Specialist Byron K. Lichtenberg, Mission Specialist Michael Foale, Mission Specialist David C. Leestma, Mission Specialist Kathryn D. Sullivan, Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-45) blasted off March 24, 1992 on its eleventh flight and the 46th for the space shuttle program.  On board was Dirk Dries David Damiaan, Viscount Frimout, born in Poperinge, Belgium, making him the first Belgian astronaut.  Charles Bolden served as Commander of the mission, his third trip into space.  Charles later became the first African-American administrator of NASA.