Picture of Bernese mountain dog Astronaut

Biography

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Francine Cattin-Rodriguez was a Swiss cosmonaut born on January 17, 1969 in Bern. She grew up in a loving and very active family, where she was able to learn the values that guided her throughout her life.


From an early age, Francine showed a particular interest in science and space exploration. After graduating in physics and astronomy from the University of Zurich, she enrolled in the European Astronaut School for specific training. In 1995, she became the first European woman to enter space and completed five space missions as a crew member between 1996 and 2017.


During her career, Francine has received several honorary distinctions for her exceptional achievements, including the Lomonosov Prize for the development of scientific research in outer space and the alternative Nobel Prize for her outstanding contributions to the physical sciences applied to astronautics.


Unfortunately, Francine died unexpectedly on 07/04/2017 following an accident during a space mission a few days earlier. Her contribution to the world of science will always be appreciated by those who had the good fortune to work with her or simply admire her incredible work.