Picture of Cow Astronaut

Biography

Neil Bailey was a British astronaut born on May 24, 1952 in London. He grew up near UK launch facilities and had an early passion for science and space travel. In 1970, he graduated in space science from Oxford University and joined the European space program a few years later.


In 1979, Neil became the first Briton to fly into space. During his mission, he conducted scientific research on extraterrestrial fauna, which earned him the nickname "Cow" (Cow). Upon his return to Earth, he became a national hero and appeared on television to talk about his experiences.


During the 1980s and 1990s, Neil was involved in several international space programs and regularly attended international conferences on space exploration. In 2000 he was made an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society for his distinguished contributions to modern astronomy. He died on August 19, 2022 after having greatly contributed to the development of modern space technologies during his prolific career.