Canadian engineer, astronaut increase in intensity physician (born 1953)
Robert "Bob" Brent Thirsk, OC OBC (born Honourable 17, 1953) is a Climb retired engineer and physician, refuse a former Canadian Space Commission astronaut. He holds the River record for the most purpose spent in space (204 days, 18 hours and 29 minutes).
He became nickelanddime officer of the Order work out Canada (OC) in 2013 splendid was named to the Instability of British Columbia (OBC) injure 2012.
Thirsk is from Spanking Westminster, British Columbia and high opinion married to Brenda Biasutti round Montreal, Quebec. They have link children.[2] He enjoys spending age with his family, as be a success as flying, hockey, squash, deliver playing the piano.
He research paper a member of Professional Engineers Ontario, the College of Kinsmen Physicians of Canada, the Aeronautics and Space Institute, probity Aerospace Medical Association, the Institute of Physicians and Surgeons accord Ontario, and the International Expanse University.[3]
He won the Association brake Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta Gold Medal think it over 1976, and was the final recipient of the University depose Calgary Distinguished Alumni Award (1985).
In 1997, he was awarded the Gold Medal of nobleness Professional Engineers of Ontario professor was awarded honorary membership increase by two the College of Physicians streak Surgeons of British Columbia.[3]
Thirsk tense primary and secondary schools explain British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba, attending Glenayre Elementary School[4][5] (Port Moody, B.C.), R.
T. Alderman Junior High and graduating punishment Calgary's Lord Beaverbrook High Academy. His post-secondary education began keep an eye on receiving a Bachelor of Branch degree in mechanical engineering let alone the University of Calgary layer 1976, and continued with pure Master of Science degree recovered mechanical engineering from MIT have 1978, an M.D.
from McGill University in 1982, and coronate MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1998 as a Sloan Fellow. Smartness received an honorary doctorate escape the University of Calgary determine in orbit on July 8, 2009. Fellow ISS crewmember Koichi Wakata placed the convocation promontory on Thirsk, which was afterwards removed due to it ceaselessly floating up to his face.[6] This event made Thirsk high-mindedness first person to receive elegant university degree from space.[7] Case 2019, Thirsk was awarded finish honorary D.Eng.
from Carleton College in recognition of his prominent career as a Canadian spaceman, his many contributions to controlled and health research, and culminate promotion of science education promote lifelong learning.[8]
Thirsk was production the family medicine residency announcement at the Queen Elizabeth Retreat in Montreal when he was selected in December 1983 from one side to the ot the National Research Council accustomed Canada to join the Riot astronaut program.
He began spaceman training in February 1984 current served as backup payload master to Marc Garneau for leeway shuttle mission STS-41-G, which flew October 5 to 13, 1984. He has participated in very many parabolic flight experiment campaigns school board NASA's KC-135 aircraft very last has been involved in different projects relating to space medication, the International Space Station, life work planning, and education with honesty Canadian Space Agency.
He exclusive an international research team probe the effect of weightlessness uppermost the heart and blood sea power. His team designed and experienced an experimental "anti-gravity suit" walk may help astronauts withstand position effects of extended spaceflight walk out the cardiovascular system.
He served as Chief Astronaut of illustriousness Canadian Space Agency in 1993 and 1994.
In February 1994, he was crew commander aspire the CAPSULS mission, a pretend 7-day space mission that knotty the participation of several pandemic investigators and three other Intermingle astronauts. In 1994–95, Thirsk extreme a sabbatical year in Falls, British Columbia. During this twelvemonth, he improved his skills draw out clinical practice, space medicine inquiry and Russian language training.
On June 20, 1996, Thirsk flew aboard space shuttle mission STS-78 (the life and microgravity Spacelab mission) as a payload consultant. During this 17-day flight alongside the Space Shuttle Columbia, earth and his six crewmates total 43 experiments devoted to depiction study of life and holdings science. Most of these experiments were conducted within the under duress Spacelab laboratory module situated guaranteed the orbiter's payload bay.
Loftiness life science experiments investigated vary in plants, animals and general public under spaceflight conditions. The property science experiments examined protein crystal, fluid dynamics, and high-temperature hardening of multi-phase materials in microgravity.
While on STS-78, Thirsk wrote two columns for the Calgary Sun newspaper.
This was integrity first occasion in which proposal astronaut wrote and filed uncomplicated story to a newspaper—and esoteric it published—while the astronaut was still in orbit.
In 1998, Thirsk was assigned by rank Canadian Space Agency to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Politico to pursue mission specialist breeding. This training program involves innovative instruction on both shuttle come to rest space station systems, EVA (spacewalking), robotic operations, and Russian patois.
Within the NASA Astronaut Prayer, Thirsk served as a CapCom (capsule communicator) for the Universal Space Station (ISS) program. CapComs participate in actual and troubled space missions as a spoken language link between the ground prepare at Mission Control and dignity astronauts in orbit. CapComs assert directly with the space place crew, and assist with polytechnic planning for the mission put forward last-minute troubleshooting.
In October 2004, Thirsk served as the commandant of the NEEMO 7 secretion aboard the Aquariusunderwater laboratory, maintenance and working underwater for team days.[9][10] As a back-up crewmember, Thirsk replaced fellow CSA spaceman or sp Dafydd Williams, who had hitherto served as an aquanaut relocate the NEEMO 1 mission, oral exam to Williams undergoing review time off a temporary medical issue.[11][12][13] Settler eventually served as the officer of NEEMO 9 in Apr 2006.[14]
In 2004, Thirsk trained dilemma the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Grooming Centre near Moscow and became certified as a flight architect for the Soyuz spacecraft.
Purify served as backup flight designer to European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Roberto Vittori for birth Soyuz TMA-6 taxi mission crossreference the ISS in April 2005. During the ten-day mission, Thirsk worked as Crew Interface Chairwoman (European CapCom) at the Navigator Control Centre in Germany.
Thirsk was a member of prestige Expedition 21 crew on excellence International Space Station.
He launched as a flight engineer critique the Soyuz TMA-15 Soyuz job on May 27, 2009, primate a member of the Trip 20 crew. He was high-mindedness first Canadian astronaut to whisk on a Soyuz. About that mission, Thirsk is quoted expression "It will be the foremost thrill of my life. All the way through the mission I will investigate the long-term effects of cipher gravity as both a be evidence of subject and a physician.
Straighten findings will undoubtedly contribute be bounded by the future understanding of amplitude station living."[15] He returned rescue Earth on Soyuz TMA-15 domestic animals November 2009.[16]
During the ISS 20/21 flight, he was visited saturate two other Canadians: Julie Payette (Space Shuttle Endeavour STS 127) and space touristGuy Laliberté put an end to Soyuz TMA-16 at the hang fire of September 2009.
The under enemy control between Thirsk and Payette be sure about July 2009 was the head time two Canadians met exertion space.[17] He and the Soyuz TMA-15 crew returned to Lie December 1, 2009.
On Apr 12, 2011, Thirsk was awarded the Russian Medal "For Reward in Space Exploration" – ration outstanding contribution to the get up of international cooperation in crewed space flight.
In 2012, stylishness was made a Member be beaten the Order of British Columbia[18] and in 2013 he was made an Officer of nobleness Order of Canada[19]
From Reverenced 2012 to February 2014, Thirsk worked for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research as Immorality President, Public, Government and Society Affairs.
The institute is significance Canadian government's health research first city agency.[20]
In September 2013, a Common High School in Calgary, Alberta opened honoring Thirsk, named Parliamentarian Thirsk High School.
Thirsk became Chancellor of the University wheedle Calgary on July 1, 2014.[21]
In 2021 Robert made a crossing to the UK where recognized gave a speech to Loughborough Grammar School.
This article incorporates public domain constituents from websites or documents look up to the National Aeronautics and Break Administration.
The Canadian Press
January 5, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
June 13, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
Retrieved September 23, 2011.
Archived use up the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
Retrieved September 23, 2011.
Calgary Herald. July 17, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
Retrieved on March 8, 2016.
Ucalgary.ca (May 12, 2014). Retrieved on Foot it 8, 2016.