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LEGENDActiveESA
LEGENDActiveESAESA·🇫🇷 France·Born 1978
Thomas Pesquet
First French ISS commander (2021)
332d
Days in Space
2
Missions
6
EVAs
40h
EVA Time
Looking at Earth from above makes you realize how small and fragile our planet is.
Space is hard, but it is worth it.
Biography
Most experienced ESA astronaut of his generation. Became the first French commander of the ISS in 2021.
Before NASAAir France airline pilot who flew the Airbus A320; before that he was an aerospace engineer at the French space agency CNES.
Records & Firsts
Notable accomplishments by Thomas Pesquet
- First French ISS commander (2021)
- Most photographed Earth from orbit by a European astronaut
Mission Timeline
- Flight Engineer
Soyuz MS-03
Expedition 50/51 (Proxima)
Launch: Nov 17, 2016Landing: Jun 2, 2017Duration: 196 days - Commander
SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour
SpaceX Crew-2 / Expedition 65 (Alpha)
Launch: Apr 23, 2021Landing: Nov 9, 2021Duration: 199 days- First French ISS commander
Beyond the Mission
Hobbies & Interests
photographysaxophonejudobasketballrunning
Causes They Champion
Climate change awarenessOcean conservationSTEM education
Languages
FrenchEnglishSpanishGermanRussian
Awards & Honors
- Légion d'honneur
- Ordre national du Mérite
Fun fact
He is one of the most prolific photographers in spaceflight history, sharing tens of thousands of images of Earth from the ISS during his Proxima and Alpha missions.
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