Par Melina Le Corre
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Toulouse mourns the disappearance of the astronaut, Jean Jacques Favier. The CNES (National Center for Space Studies) has announced the disappearance of this Toulousain at heart, sixth French astronaut to have stayed in space, Friday March 24, 2023. Very active, even recently at the CNES in Toulouse, he worked a lot with the Toulouse teams.
Engineer then astronaut
Jean-Jacques Favier was born on April 13, 1949 in Kehl, Germany. He joined the National School of Electrochemistry and Electrometallurgy (ENSEEG) in Grenoble in 1971. He obtained a doctorate in engineering from the Ecole des mines de Paris as well as a doctorate in physics and metallurgy from the University Joseph-Fourier-Grenoble 1 in 1977.
The engineer and researcher is selected in 1985, as an experimental astronaut by the CNES. The same year of the selection of astronaut Claudie Haigneré, now godmother of the Cité de l’Espace.
“He very quickly forged very strong ties with the CNES manned flight teams by being scientific manager of the MEPHISTO space oven which flew several times on the American space shuttle”, details the National Center for Space Studies.
It’s in September 1992 that he was retained as a reserve astronaut for the STS-65 mission of Columbia, from July 8 to 23, 1994, then as a payload specialist for the LMS experiment during flight STS-78 of the Columbia shuttle.
More than 16 days in space
“He passes 16 days, 21 hours and 48 minutes in orbit, from June 20 to July 7, 1996, thus becoming the first French scientist to have stayed in space. During his mission, responsible for more than 30 physics experiments, he also participated in a dozen physiology experiments as a subject,” adds CNES.
Not just astronaut
After his career as an astronaut, Jean-Jacques became involved in research and education. He contributed to the collaboration between the Clément Ader-Albi Institute and the CNES team in charge of the SpaceShip project. He was also honorary professor at IMT Mines Albi. Jean-Jacques Favier is Knight of the Legion of Honor.
“The disappearance of astronaut Jean-Jacques Favier leaves a great void in the space world: CNES has lost one of its own. As the first French scientist to go into space, I know he will leave his mark on future generations and inspire many of us. » concludes Philip the BaptistChairman and CEO of CNES.
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