Gerhard P. Thiele
In 1988, Gerhard P. Thiele began basic astronaut training at DLR (German Aerospace Research Establishment). Upon completion in 1990, he was assigned to the German D-2 Spacelab Mission. In 1992, he reported to the Johnson Space Center where he trained with the crew as back-up payload specialist. During the STS-55/Spacelab D-2 Mission (April 26 to May 6, 1993), Thiele served as alternate payload specialist in the Payload Operations Control Center of DLR at Oberpfaffenhofen.
In 1994, he served with the Strategic Planning Group for the Program Director of DLR. Since 1994 he has served as an active member for the International Academy of Astronautics Subcommittee on Lunar Development. In 1995, he was assigned to head the Crew Training Center (CTC) at DLR in Cologne.
In July 1996, DARA (German Space Agency) and DLR (German Aerospace Research Establishment) selected Thiele to attend NASA's mission specialist class ’96 at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, where he qualified, after two years of training and evaluation, for flight assignment as a mission specialist. He was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Computer Support Branch and led the development of a new class of computer based training courses.
In August 1998, he joined the European Astronaut Corps of the European Space Agency, whose homebase is the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.
Thiele participated 11-22 February 2000 as mission specialist in the STS-99 Mission. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM) was dedicated to the first, three-dimensional, digital mapping of the Earth surface on a nearly global scale. He was responsible for SRTM operations, including the deployment and retraction of the 200-foot high boom from Endeavour’s cargo bay upon which one of the flight’s radar systems was mounted. Thiele was also one of two spacewalking crew members, in the event contingency spacewalk would have been required during the flight.
Following his flight in February 2000, Thiele was assigned by NASA for collateral duties as a CapCOM, the interface in charge of communications, between the Control Center and the Space Shuttle crew. This was the first time that this position had been assigned to a European astronaut.
Since August 2001, Gerhard Thiele served as Head of the ESA astronauts and Operations Unit at EAC in Cologne and from August 2002 until April 2003 he became acting Head of the Astronaut Division.
In January 2003, Gerhard Thiele was assigned as backup of André Kuipers for the Soyuz 8S mission. He started training at Yuri A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre GCTC (Star City) near Moscow in May 2003 and returned to EAC in May 2004.
From August 2005 until March 2010, Gerhard Thiele was assigned as the Head of the Astronaut Division of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC).
In April 2010 Thiele became Resident Fellow with the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, Austria.
I sent this photo to Thiele in Austria, receiving it back within a month. He even returned the money I enclosed for postage!
Gerhard P. Thiele
In 1988, Gerhard P. Thiele began basic astronaut training at DLR (German Aerospace Research Establishment). Upon completion in 1990, he was assigned to the German D-2 Spacelab Mission. In 1992, he reported to the Johnson Space Center where he trained with the crew as back-up payload specialist. During the STS-55/Spacelab D-2 Mission (April 26 to May 6, 1993), Thiele served as alternate payload specialist in the Payload Operations Control Center of DLR at Oberpfaffenhofen.
In 1994, he served with the Strategic Planning Group for the Program Director of DLR. Since 1994 he has served as an active member for the International Academy of Astronautics Subcommittee on Lunar Development. In 1995, he was assigned to head the Crew Training Center (CTC) at DLR in Cologne.
In July 1996, DARA (German Space Agency) and DLR (German Aerospace Research Establishment) selected Thiele to attend NASA's mission specialist class ’96 at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, where he qualified, after two years of training and evaluation, for flight assignment as a mission specialist. He was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Computer Support Branch and led the development of a new class of computer based training courses.
In August 1998, he joined the European Astronaut Corps of the European Space Agency, whose homebase is the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.
Thiele participated 11-22 February 2000 as mission specialist in the STS-99 Mission. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM) was dedicated to the first, three-dimensional, digital mapping of the Earth surface on a nearly global scale. He was responsible for SRTM operations, including the deployment and retraction of the 200-foot high boom from Endeavour’s cargo bay upon which one of the flight’s radar systems was mounted. Thiele was also one of two spacewalking crew members, in the event contingency spacewalk would have been required during the flight.
Following his flight in February 2000, Thiele was assigned by NASA for collateral duties as a CapCOM, the interface in charge of communications, between the Control Center and the Space Shuttle crew. This was the first time that this position had been assigned to a European astronaut.
Since August 2001, Gerhard Thiele served as Head of the ESA astronauts and Operations Unit at EAC in Cologne and from August 2002 until April 2003 he became acting Head of the Astronaut Division.
In January 2003, Gerhard Thiele was assigned as backup of André Kuipers for the Soyuz 8S mission. He started training at Yuri A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre GCTC (Star City) near Moscow in May 2003 and returned to EAC in May 2004.
From August 2005 until March 2010, Gerhard Thiele was assigned as the Head of the Astronaut Division of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC).
In April 2010 Thiele became Resident Fellow with the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, Austria.
I sent this photo to Thiele in Austria, receiving it back within a month. He even returned the money I enclosed for postage!