Franklin Chang-Díaz
Franklin Chang-Díaz | |
|---|---|
Chang-Díaz in 1997 | |
| Born | Franklin Ramón Chang-Díaz April 5, 1950 San José, Costa Rica |
| Education | University of Connecticut (BS) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS, ScD) |
| Children | Sonia |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
Time in space | 66d 18h 16m |
| Selection | NASA Group 9 (1980) |
Total EVAs | 3 |
Total EVA time | 19h, 31m |
| Missions | STS-61-C STS-34 STS-46 STS-60 STS-75 STS-91 STS-111 |
Mission insignia | |
Franklin Ramon Chang-Díaz (born April 5, 1950, San José, Costa Rica) is a Costa Rica born mechanical engineer, physicist, and former NASA astronaut. He is the sole founder and CEO of Ad Astra Rocket Company as well as a member of the Cummins' board of directors. He became a U. S. citizen in 1977.
He is a veteran of seven Space Shuttle missions, tying the record, as of 2021 for the most spaceflights (a record set two months earlier by Jerry L. Ross). He was the third Latin American, and the first Latin American immigrant NASA astronaut selected to go into space. Chang-Díaz is a member of NASA's Astronaut Hall of Fame.