Frank DE WINNE

CAREER

1985-1986: Pilot training Belgian Air Force

1989-1991: Operational pilot flying the Mirage V aircraft

1992-1998: After test pilot training and graduation from the Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS) in Boscombe down, UK he served as a test pilot in the Belgian Air Force and completed a number of assignments including detachment to Eglin AFB and Edwards AFB, USA; held assignments as Squadron Commander and responsibilities for flight safety programmes and participation in NATO campaigns logging 2000 sorties (17 combat sorties) under Operation Allied Force.

ASTRONAUT ASSIGNMENTS

2000: (Jan) Joined the European Astronaut Corps, ESA; basic training; provided technical support for the X38 Crew Return Vehicle Project Division, Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity;

2001: (Aug) commenced basic training for ISS including Soyuz training; (10.12) commenced training for Visiting Crew 4 including Soyuz TM/TMA training;

2002: ISS and Soyuz training; (30.10-10.11) FE Soyuz TMA-1 to ISS; ferry exchange mission retuning on Soyuz TM34 (260 hrs)

2003: Supported Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity sand Exploration in various tasks including support on the development and qualification of the Columbus Laboratory and participation in the ‘White Paper of European Space Policy’ for the European commission

2004: ESA astronaut technical assignments

2005: (        ) Commenced training as BUp to ESA astronaut Leopold Eyharts;

2006: (Aug) assigned to the BUp crew for ISS-16

2007: (13 Feb) ISS-16 BUp assignment confirmed; (Aug) preliminary assigned to prime crew of ISS-20; 

2008: (12.02) Confirmed to prime crew of ISS-20; (Jul) assigned as ISS-21 Commander; (21.11) confirmed ISS-21 Commander 

2009: (27.05) launched as FE1 Soyuz TMA-15/ISS 20/21; IN SPACE

SPACEFLIGHT RECORD