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Table of Contents
Franklin Chang Diaz is a retired NASA astronaut, mechanical engineer, and physicist. Throughout his NASA career, he participated in a total of 7 different space missions.
See the fact file below for more information on the Franklin Chang Diaz or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Franklin Chang Diaz worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
BACKGROUND
- Franklin chang Diaz was originally born in Costa Rica. As a child, he had dreams of becoming an astronaut.
- While in space, Franklin conducted many experiments in areas such as antigravity and tethered satellite systems.
EARLY LIFE
- Franklin Chang Diaz was born on April 5, 1950, in San José, Costa Rica. He was one of six children in the family.
- Franklin knew from a young age that he wanted to become an astronaut.
- Franklin attended primary school in Costa Rica, but after his graduation, his parents sent him to live with family in Connecticut so that he could attend high school there.
- After high school, Franklin went on to study mechanical engineering at the University of Connecticut. He graduated in 1973 and immediately began studying for a Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
- In 1977, Franklin graduated from the Applied Plasma Physics program at MIT.
NASA MISSION I
- Franklin was selected to join NASA in 1980. His first mission to space was on January 12, 1986, aboard the space shuttle Columbia. The space shuttle launched from the Kennedy Space Station in Florida.
- Franklin’s mission, called STS 61-C, was the seventh space shuttle Columbia mission.
- During his mission, Franklin was responsible for helping deploy the SATCOM KU satellite.
- He also conducted various experiments in astrophysics.
- After orbiting Earth 96 times, Franklin and his crewmates returned on January 18, 1986, landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
NASA MISSIONS II & III
- After successfully completing his first mission in space, Franklin was selected to participate in another mission called STS-34.
- On October 18, 1989, Franklin and his crewmates launched from Edwards Air Force Base in California aboard a space shuttle called Atlantis.
- While on this mission, Franklin and his crewmates deployed the Galileo spacecraft. This spacecraft went on to explore the planet Jupiter.
- Franklin and his crewmates also gathered calculations on radiation and conducted research on lightning and gravity.
- On October 23, 1989, Franklin and his crewmates returned to Earth. They landed back at Edwards Air Force Base.
- In total, the STS-34 mission completed 79 orbits of Earth.
- Franklin’s third mission was called STS-46. This mission was again aboard the space shuttle Atlantis.
- The mission began on July 31, 1992. During the mission, Franklin and his crewmates deployed the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) satellite.
- They also conducted the first Tethered Satellite System (TSS) test flight.
NASA MISSIONS IV – VII
- The Tethered Satellite System (TSS) test flight consisted of attaching a satellite to a space shuttle with a tether.
- The STS-46 mission ended on August 8, 1992, after completing 126 orbits of Earth.
- After the STS-46 mission, Franklin went on to complete four additional missions with NASA. These missions were called STS-60 (1994), STS-75 (1996), STS-91 (1998), and STS-111 (2002).
- While completing the STS-111 mission, Franklin performed a total of three spacewalks. On these spacewalks, he was responsible for connecting the “Canadian Mobile Base System” to the robotic arm of the International Space Station.
- In total, Franklin completed seven different missions into space and three spacewalks.
- Franklin’s last four missions required him to travel to the International Space Station.
- The International Space Station is located in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
- The International Space Station was constructed by NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). It is used to conduct various scientific experiments.
POST-NASA CAREER
- Franklin retired from NASA in 2005. After leaving NASA, he set up his own company called the “Ad Astra Rocket Company”.
- This company conducts research on plasma rocket propulsion technology.
- Using this technology, the company wants to create what is called a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASMIR).
- This VASMIR engine is expected to be more efficient than the current chemical rocket designs.
- The new VASMIR engine is able to recharge or refuel while in space, allowing more room for cargo and maintaining high speeds for long-distance journeys.
- The Ad Astra Rocket Company is working with NASA to create a rocket using the VASMIR design. This design is expected to be used for future missions to planet Mars.
LEGACY
- In 2001, Franklin received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Wyld Propulsion Award for his 21 years of work on plasma rocket propulsion technology.
- On May 5, 2012, Franklin was inducted into NASA’s Hall of Fame.
- On December 17, 1984, Franklin married Dr. Peggy Marguerite Doncaster. Together, the couple have four children.
- Franklin continues to reside in the United States with his wife. He enjoys music, scuba diving, and hiking.
Franklin Chang Diaz Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Franklin Chang Diaz across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Franklin Chang Diaz worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Franklin Chang Diaz who is a retired NASA astronaut, mechanical engineer, and physicist. Throughout his NASA career, he participated in a total of 7 different space missions.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Franklin Chang Diaz Facts
- Trip to Mars
- NASA Mission
- Cosmic Wordsearch
- Word Scramble
- See, Think, Wonder
- Space Launch Sequence
- Space Launch Opinion Piece
- NASA News
- Earth Bound Crossword
- Trusty Timeline
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Use With Any Curriculum
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