Astronaut, engineer

After completing a bachelor's degree and PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide, Thomas left Australia to pursue a career in the aviation industry in the US. He took up a position as a research scientist with the Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company. His area of experimentation was aircraft drag and the control of fluid dynamic instabilities. Three years later Thomas was made principal aerodynamic scientist at the company and was responsible for a team researching advanced aerodynamics and aircraft flight tests. In 1983 he was appointed as the head of Advanced Flight Sciences Department, responsible for experimentation in the areas of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. Thomas was put in charge of the Flight Sciences Division in 1987; the areas of production then under his direction included vehicle aerodynamics, flight controls and propulsion systems. In 1989 he joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and was engaged in NASA sponsored research.

Thomas joined NASA in 1992 and after a year of training qualified for assignment on space flight crews and was appointed a member of the astronaut corps. He served as an Astronaut Support Person at the Kennedy Space Center and provided technical support for projects at the Marshall Space Flight Center. In June 1995 Thomas was selected for the crew of the STS-77 mission and made his first flight in space on the Endeavour in May 1996. He was the first Australian to fly in space. The 10-day mission logged 240 hours and 39 minutes in space.

After this mission Thomas trained at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia. From January to June 1998 he served aboard the Russian space station Mir, spending 141 days in space. During this time the astronauts on Mir endured lengthy isolation, fire, and a collision with another spacecraft. In March 2001 Thomas was a member of the crew of Discovery which docked with Mir. While Discovery was docked he completed his first 'space walk' (Extra-vehicular Activity or EVA) of 6.5 hours to install equipment and make repairs. Thomas was the first Australian to walk in space. This mission spent 307 hours and 49 minutes in space. Thomas flew with Discovery again for a two week mission during July and August 2005.

Thomas has been awarded various medals including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Yuri Gagarin Medal and the Order of Friendship from Russia and Kazakhstan.

1973: Graduated from the University of Adelaide with a bachelor of mechanical engineering, first class honours

1978: Received doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide

1980: Appointed principal aerodynamic scientist at Lockheed Aeronautical Systems

1983: Named head of Lockheed Aeronautical Systems' Advanced Flight Sciences Department

1987: Appointed manager of Flight Sciences Division at Lockheed Aeronautical Systems

1989: Appointed to Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California; engaged in NASA sponsored research

1992: Selected for NASA training

August 1993: Qualified for assignment on space flight crews and appointed a member of the astronaut corps

May 1996: Became first Australian to fly in space; crew member of the STS-77 mission aboard the Endeavour

January- June 1998: Served aboard the Russian space station Mir

1998: Named South Australian of the year

March 2001: Crew member of Discovery and made first space walk while docked to Mir space station; first Australian to walk in space

July and August 2005: Made second mission aboard Discovery

Thomas was the first Australian to fly in space and also the first Australian to complete a space walk.

'Andrew S.W. Thomas', Geonews, vol. 3, no. 5 (November/December 1996), p. 8-9

Ellis, David. 'From space station Mir, with love', Adelaidean : news from the University of Adelaide, vol. 7, no. 1 (16 February 1998), p. 1 [or view online at The Adelaidean archives: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/script/adelaidean/archive/backissues/Adelaidean-1998-02-16.pdf]

National Aeronautics and Space Administration See: Astronaut Bio: Andrew S.W. Thomas

National Portrait Gallery [Australia] See: 'Andy Thomas' by Montalbetti & Campbell