Frimout, Dirk Dries David Damiaan
Person · Belgium
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: www.spacefacts.de
Belgian engineer payload specialist astronaut 1985-1992. First Belgian astronaut.
Educated Ghent.
Official Biography
NAME: Dirk D. Frimout
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Frimout was born on March 21, 1941 in Poperinge, Belgium.
EDUCATION: Diploma as electronics engineer, 1963. Doctorate in applied physics, 1970 from the University of Ghent. Post-doctorate work at the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics, Colorado, 1972. EXPERIENCE: Frimout worked at the Institute of Space Aeronomy of Belgium until 1978. He became an astronaut candidate in 1977. Frimout was selected in 1989 for Shuttle Flight STS-45 (the ATLAS-1 mission). Fifteen years later, he was the first Belgian in space, on board the Atlantis shuttle on March 24, 1992. was responsible for the European scientific experiments carried out on board Atlantis. This ATLAS-1 mission of earth observation was completed on April 2. Frimout was also the Alternate Payload Specialist to STS-61K, Mission EOM-1/2.
Dirk Frimout carried out his dream, to fly and float in space. His exploits raised the enthusiasm of all Belgians. He was made a Grand Officier de l'Ordre de Léopold and also received the title of Viscount. Frimout returned to Belgium and directed a team of researchers in the field of telephony at Belgacom.
More at: Frimout.
Related
Chronology
4 events
1941 March 21
- Birth of Dirk Dries David Damian Frimout - . Nation: Belgium. Related Persons: Frimout. Belgian engineer payload specialist astronaut 1985-1992. First Belgian astronaut. 1 spaceflight, 8.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-45 (1992)..
1986 October
- STS-61-K (cancelled) - . Crew: Brand, Garriott, Griggs, Lampton, Lichtenberg, Nicollier, Stevenson, Stewart. Backup Crew: Chappell, Frimout. Payload: EOM-1/2. Nation: USA. Program: STS. Flight: STS-61-K. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Columbia. Planned EOM-1 shuttle mission. Cancelled after Challenger disaster. No crew named, later combined with STS-61K.
1992 March 24
13:13 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.- STS-45 - .
Call Sign: Atlantis. Crew: Bolden,
Duffy,
Foale,
Frimout,
Leestma,
Lichtenberg,
Sullivan.
Payload: Atlantis F11 / Atlas 1 Fwd. Mass: 8,020 kg (17,680 lb). Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Bolden,
Duffy,
Foale,
Frimout,
Leestma,
Lichtenberg,
Sullivan.
Agency: NASA Houston.
Program: STS.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-45.
Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle.
Spacecraft: Atlantis.
Duration: 8.92 days. Decay Date: 1992-04-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 21915 . COSPAR: 1992-015A. Apogee: 294 km (182 mi). Perigee: 282 km (175 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Period: 90.30 min.
Manned seven crew. Carried ATLAS-1 experimental package. Payloads: Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS)-1, Shuttle Solar Backscat-ter Ultraviolet (SSBUV)-4, Getaway Special Experiment G-229, Space Tissue Loss (STL)-1, Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME)-lIl, Visual Function Tester (VFT)-lI, Cloud Logic To Opti-mize Use of Defense Systems (CLOUDS)-1A, Investigations Into Polymer Membrane Process-ing (IPMP), Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)-Il, Ultraviolet Plume Instrument (UVPl).