Michel A. Tognini
Note that this is Michel A. Tognini's "classic" signature - he signs a second way as well, with all the letters in his name readable.
When I saw that Tognini was scheduled to make an appearance as part of the STS-93 crew (less Jeff Ashby), I knew I had to try and get his autograph. Although his son lives in Houston and thus Tognini frequently visits the US, he doesn't make that many public appearances.
And again, an astronaut asked me, "Where did you get these photos?"
In September 1985, Tognini was selected as astronaut by the French Space Ageny CNES. In August 1986, he was assigned as the back-up for the Soyuz TM-7 mission. Although Tognini remained a French Air Force officer, he was placed on detachment to CNES for his space flight activities from September 1986 onwards.
In November 1986 he reported to the Yuri A.Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, near Moscow, for alternate astronaut training, including spacewalk training, for the Soviet-French “Aragatz” mission. During 1989-1990 he supported the HERMES program in Toulouse, France.
In 1991 he returned to Star City, Russia, to start prime crew training for the 3rd French-Russian “Antares” mission, which took place from 27 July to 10 August 1992. During this stay, he also gained piloting experience of BURAN simulators. After his mission, he returned to France and attended a training cycle of the French Institute for High Studies of National Defense from 1993-1994.
In 1995, he took up Astronaut Candidate Training at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston/USA. He was initially assigned to the Operations Planning Branch of the Astronaut Office working technical issues on the International Space Station.
In November 1999, Michel Tognini joined the European Astronaut Corps based at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany.
His duty station remained at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he performed technical duties in the International Space Station Robotics Branch supporting the Mobile Base System and the European Robotic Arm. He was also assigned to training support for the Shuttle and robotics as well as for the ExCan training of International Space Station crews (part of the Expedition Corps Working Group). In 2001 he worked as a Space Station Capcom, and joined the Station's branch for Russian hardware and training/payload of Soyuz in the Russian segment as well as for European COF training.
From May 2003 to December 2004, Michel was Head of the Astronaut Division at the European Astronaut Centre.
Tognini participated in the “Antares” mission from 27 July to 10 August 1992. This was his first flight to the Russian space station Mir, where he spent 14 days carrying out a programme of Soviet-French experiments.
His second flight was on STS-93/Columbia which took place from 22-27 July 1999. During this mission his primary task was to assist in the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and to conduct a spacewalk if needed. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory is designed to conduct comprehensive studies of the universe. The telescope enables scientists to study exotic phenomena such as exploding stars, quasars, and black holes.
In January 2005, Michel became Head of the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. He left ESA for retirement on 1 November 2011.
Signed in Boston, Ma., 18 Nov. 2014.
Michel A. Tognini
Note that this is Michel A. Tognini's "classic" signature - he signs a second way as well, with all the letters in his name readable.
When I saw that Tognini was scheduled to make an appearance as part of the STS-93 crew (less Jeff Ashby), I knew I had to try and get his autograph. Although his son lives in Houston and thus Tognini frequently visits the US, he doesn't make that many public appearances.
And again, an astronaut asked me, "Where did you get these photos?"
In September 1985, Tognini was selected as astronaut by the French Space Ageny CNES. In August 1986, he was assigned as the back-up for the Soyuz TM-7 mission. Although Tognini remained a French Air Force officer, he was placed on detachment to CNES for his space flight activities from September 1986 onwards.
In November 1986 he reported to the Yuri A.Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, near Moscow, for alternate astronaut training, including spacewalk training, for the Soviet-French “Aragatz” mission. During 1989-1990 he supported the HERMES program in Toulouse, France.
In 1991 he returned to Star City, Russia, to start prime crew training for the 3rd French-Russian “Antares” mission, which took place from 27 July to 10 August 1992. During this stay, he also gained piloting experience of BURAN simulators. After his mission, he returned to France and attended a training cycle of the French Institute for High Studies of National Defense from 1993-1994.
In 1995, he took up Astronaut Candidate Training at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston/USA. He was initially assigned to the Operations Planning Branch of the Astronaut Office working technical issues on the International Space Station.
In November 1999, Michel Tognini joined the European Astronaut Corps based at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany.
His duty station remained at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he performed technical duties in the International Space Station Robotics Branch supporting the Mobile Base System and the European Robotic Arm. He was also assigned to training support for the Shuttle and robotics as well as for the ExCan training of International Space Station crews (part of the Expedition Corps Working Group). In 2001 he worked as a Space Station Capcom, and joined the Station's branch for Russian hardware and training/payload of Soyuz in the Russian segment as well as for European COF training.
From May 2003 to December 2004, Michel was Head of the Astronaut Division at the European Astronaut Centre.
Tognini participated in the “Antares” mission from 27 July to 10 August 1992. This was his first flight to the Russian space station Mir, where he spent 14 days carrying out a programme of Soviet-French experiments.
His second flight was on STS-93/Columbia which took place from 22-27 July 1999. During this mission his primary task was to assist in the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and to conduct a spacewalk if needed. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory is designed to conduct comprehensive studies of the universe. The telescope enables scientists to study exotic phenomena such as exploding stars, quasars, and black holes.
In January 2005, Michel became Head of the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. He left ESA for retirement on 1 November 2011.
Signed in Boston, Ma., 18 Nov. 2014.