Franklin Chang-Díaz

Franklin Chang-Díaz is a former NASA astronaut who made seven spaceflights, including missions aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and the final scheduled Shuttle/Mir docking mission.

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Profession :

Astronaut

Birthday :

April 5, 1950

Age :

74

Franklin Chang-Díaz, a Costa Rican-American physicist, former astronaut, and skilled musician, is renowned for being the first naturalized U.S. citizen of Hispanic origin to venture into space. With seven Space Shuttle missions under his belt, including flights on the Columbia and the last planned Shuttle/Mir docking mission, Chang-Díaz has accumulated over 1,600 hours in space. Besides his space accomplishments, he has contributed to research in plasma propulsion and fusion energy. His notable accolades include being inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and receiving the Hispanic Heritage Award for Science and Technology. A multi-talented individual, Chang-Díaz can play various instruments such as the guitar, mandolin, and cuatro, and has showcased his musical abilities in public performances.