50 years of ESA (1975 – 2025): André Kuipers
André Kuipers is an astronaut who works for the ESA. He is the third astronaut, after Lodewijk van den Berg and Wubbo Ockels, and the second astronaut after Wubbo Ockels, to go into space on behalf of the Netherlands. Kuipers' first space flight took place as part of the Delta mission. What do you know about André Kuipers' missions and projects? Have you visited Space Expo in Noordwijk?
André Kuipers and Wubbo Ockels
Wubbo Johannes Ockels (1946 – 2014) was a Dutch physicist, astronaut, and pilot. On October 30, 1985, he became the first Dutchman to fly into space. Until his death in 2014, he was Professor of Aerospace for Sustainable Science and Technology at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of Delft University of Technology. He was also the Founder of the Happy Energy Foundation.
Andre Kuipers
First space flight 2003
In December 2002, Kuipers was selected as a flight engineer for the Soyuz TMA-4-flight to the International Space Station. On November 4, 2003, the Dutch Ministers of Economic Affairs and of Education, Culture and Science announced the name of Kuipers' flight: Delta Mission. “Delta” is an acronym for Dutch expedition for life science, technology and atmospheric research, but also refers to the river delta of the Netherlands. Kuipers spent more than a week aboard the ISS and conducted scientific experiments there in the fields of biology, medicine, technological development, physics, and Earth observation. The launch took place on April 19, 2004, from Baikonur in Kazakhstan at 5:19 AM. He took to the skies together with the Russian Gennady Padalka and the American Michael Fincke.
Kuipers landed in the steppe of Kazakhstan on April 30, 2004, with the crew of the Soyuz TMA-3 flight. On February 11, 2008, it was announced that Kuipers would serve as a reserve for Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne for a six-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2009. His training for this began in January 2008. However, Kuipers did not have to fulfill his role as a reserve.
ESA prestige booklet 2009
The personal prestige booklet was published in April 2009 and focused on the ESA. The booklet consists of three sheets, each containing three stamps. Furthermore, there are four interleaves featuring background information about the ESA and its various components. The booklet is compiled entirely in the English language.
Second space trip 2011
On December 21, 2011, Kuipers departed aboard a Soyuz rocket for the International Space Station ISS for over six months for the Soyuz mission TMA-03M to participate in ISS Expedition 30 and ISS Expedition 31. On December 23, 2011, the Soyuz space capsule docked with the space station around 4:22 PM (CET). On December 28, the six crew members of the space station wished the whole world a happy new year. Kuipers did this in Dutch, hanging upside down. However, he made a mistake with the year and wished “everyone a fantastic and happy 2011”.
To mark André Kuipers' second space flight, PostNL is releasing a special postal set in 2011 in collaboration with the ESA. The set includes a series of three postcards commissioned by the ESA.
Kuipers wrote a science fiction story especially for MatchBoox about his ultimate space journey, titled Viridis, illustrated by Luc van den Abeelen. He wrote the second part in the ISS. On July 1, 2012, he landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan at 10:14 a.m. (Dutch time).
A rocket is heading towards a twin Earth named Viridis. The crew awoke from their 'frozen' state some time ago, and boredom has well and truly set in for the technician, the protagonist of this story. Just one long week to go before the landing can finally be initiated. For the first time, humans are going to populate a planet orbiting another star. Then a head appears in the 3D field with a bewildering message… 'Viridis' is a cleverly constructed science fiction story with a surprising conclusion. Multicolored, detailed drawings illustrate the story and are reminiscent of images from a thrilling animated film. During his last mission, André Kuipers took his own MatchBoox with him to the International Space Station (ISS), where he stayed for 6 months. It was the first time that a booklet written by an astronaut orbited our Earth every 90 minutes.
Luc van den Abeelen has been involved with space for nearly 40 years. He attended various launches at American and Russian launch bases and visited countless exhibitions and conferences. Since the 80s, he has also been publishing and designing and producing space patches, including those for André Kuipers' space flights. Luc van Den Abeelen published a book on the history of the planned European spaceplane Hermes and has been providing topical commentary on developments in spaceflight for BNR Nieuwsradio for over 20 years.
Trivia
André Kuipers was born on October 5, 1958, in Amsterdam. He was initially a doctor but is now an astronaut and writer. He has been to space twice. The first time he went into space was on April 19, 2004, for 11 days, and the second time he went into space was on December 21, 2011, for no less than 193 days. He has spent a total of 204 days in space. As a child, Kuipers received science fiction books, Perry Rhodan, from his grandmother and knew even then at a young age that he wanted to become an astronaut. In July 1999, he joined the European astronaut team. André Kuipers' youngest daughter is named Sterre Kuipers. Once, when André was twelve, he received a science fiction book from his grandmother that inspired him to make his space journeys. André Kuipers has also written several children's books, among others. André the little astronaut
He wrote and narrated the first part of André the Little Astronaut in Space. André Kuipers is an ambassador for the following causes: Emma Children's Hospital, WWF, Red Cross, Princess Margriet Fund, Justdiggit, Stichting Natuurwijs, and WE Foundation. He has a family with four children.
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