Claudie Haigneré facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claudie Haigneré
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 13 May 1957 Le Creusot, France
|
| Status | Retired |
| Occupation | Rheumatologist Astronaut |
| Awards |
|
| Space career | |
| CNES/ESA astronaut | |
|
Time in space
|
25d 14h 22min |
| Selection | 1985 CNES Group 2 1999 ESA Group |
| Missions | Soyuz TM-24, Mir-Cassiopée, Soyuz TM-23, Soyuz TM-33, ISS-Andromède, Soyuz TM-32 |
|
Mission insignia
|
    |
Claudie Haigneré (born 13 May 1957) is a French doctor, politician, and a former astronaut. She made history as the first woman from France's space agency (CNES) and the European Space Agency to travel to space.
Contents
Becoming an Astronaut
Claudie Haigneré was born in Le Creusot, France. She studied medicine in Paris and became a doctor specializing in rheumatology. She also studied aviation medicine and space medicine, which are important for understanding how space travel affects the human body. She also earned a doctorate in neuroscience.
In 1985, the French space center chose only seven people to become astronauts. Claudie Haigneré was the only woman selected. She trained as a back-up astronaut for the 1993 Mir Altaïr mission. Her future husband, Jean-Pierre Haigneré, was part of that mission. Later, an asteroid was named 135268 Haigneré to honor both of them.
Her Space Missions
In 1994, Claudie Haigneré began her astronaut training in Russia at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. She learned Russian and prepared for the Franco-Russian Cassiopeia mission.
On 17 August 1996, Claudie Haigneré became the first French woman to go to space. She launched aboard the Soyuz TM-24 spacecraft with two Russian cosmonauts. They visited the Mir space station for 16 days. While there, she performed many science experiments. These experiments looked at how the human body works in space and how fluids behave without gravity.
In 1999, Claudie Haigneré became the first woman to command a Soyuz capsule during its return to Earth. This showed her amazing skill and training. In 2001, she flew on Soyuz TM-33 and became the first European woman to visit the International Space Station. After this mission, she continued to work in space science, helping with future projects. She retired from the European Space Agency in 2002.
After Space: Politics and Science Centers
After her time as an astronaut, Claudie Haigneré joined the French government. She served as a minister, helping with research and new technologies from 2002 to 2004. She also worked on European affairs from 2004 to 2005.
Claudie Haigneré has also been involved with science centers. In 1996, she became the honorary patron of the Cité de l'espace in Toulouse, France. This is a science discovery center about space. She helped open the center in 1997 and still holds this role today.
In 2009, she became the founding director of Universcience. This organization brought together two big science museums in Europe: the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and the Palais de la Découverte. She led Universcience until 2015, then became a special advisor to the Director General of the European Space Agency.
In 2018, Claudie Haigneré chaired the jury for the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards. This is a competition for African students who write essays or create posters about science and technology. She was the first woman to lead the judging panel for this award.
Awards and Recognition
Claudie Haigneré has received many honors for her work. She was awarded the Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur and the Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite, which are high honors in France. Russia also honored her with the Order of Friendship and the Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" for her work with Russian space programs.
She is also an honorary member of several important aerospace organizations, including the International Academy of Astronautics. Many streets in French towns are named after her, showing how much she is respected.
See also
In Spanish: Claudie Haigneré para niños
