The Viscount Frimout | |
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| Born | (1941-03-21)21 March 1941 (age 84) Poperinge, Belgium |
| Occupation | Astrophysicist |
| Space career | |
| ESAPayload Specialist | |
Time in space | 8d 22h 09m |
| Missions | STS-45 |
Mission insignia |  |
Dirk Dries David Damiaan, Viscount Frimout (born 21 March 1941 inPoperinge, Belgium) is a Belgianastrophysicist for theEuropean Space Agency. He flew aboard NASA Space Shuttle missionSTS-45 as apayload specialist,[1] making him the first Belgian in space.[2]
Elementary School atPoperinge.Secondary School at Koninklijk Technisch Atheneum (K.T.A) atGhent, Belgium. Received anEngineer's degree inelectrical engineering atUniversity of Ghent in 1963; aPhD inapplied physics fromUniversity of Ghent in 1970; post-doctorate atUniversity of ColoradoLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics[3] (ESRO fellow) in 1971–1972.
Frimout flew as a payload specialist onSTS-45 Atlantis (24 March to 2 April 1992). STS-45 was launched from and returned to land at theKennedy Space Center,Florida. It was the firstSpacelab mission dedicated toNASA's Mission to Planet Earth. During the nine-day flight, the crew aboard Atlantis operated the twelve experiments that constituted theATLAS-1 (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science) cargo. ATLAS-1 obtained a vast array of detailed measurements of atmospheric chemical and physical properties, which contributed significantly to improving our understanding of our climate and atmosphere. In addition, this was the first time an artificial beam of electrons was used to stimulate a man-made auroral discharge.[4] At mission conclusion, Frimout had traveled 3.2 million miles in 143Earthorbits and logged over 214 hours in space.
His flight made him instantaneously very famous in Belgium and triggered what was calledFrimout-mania.[5]Prince Philippe of Belgium talked with him when he was in space and a ticker tape parade was organized when he came back to Belgium.
Currently, Frimout is an ESA staff member. He is a senior engineer in the Payload Utilization Department of the Columbus Directorate, responsible for the ESA support to the European experiments onATLAS-1, and the Microgravity Measurement Assembly to be flown on D2.
He has authored more than 30 publications relating to Atmospheric Physics Experiments, Crew Training for Spacelab, and Microgravity Experiments.
He is married and has two children. Hobbies include running, cycling, walking, traveling, and chess.[6]
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