Pedro Duque

Pedro Francisco Duque Duque, OF, OMSE (Madrid, 14 March 1963) is a Spanish astronaut and aeronautics engineer who serves as Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities of the Government of Spain. He was also Member of the Congress of Deputies since May 2019 until February 2020.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Duque and the second or maternal family name is Duque.
The Most Excellent

Pedro Duque

OF OMSE
Duque in 2020
Minister of Science and Innovation
Assumed office
June 7, 2018
MonarchFelipe VI
Prime MinisterPedro Sánchez
Preceded byPosition established
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
21 May 2019 – 21 February 2020
ConstituencyAlicante
Personal details
Born (1963-03-14) 14 March 1963
Madrid, Spain
NationalitySpanish
Political partyPSOE
Spouse(s)Lourdes García (divorced)
Consuelo Femenía
ChildrenAndrés (b. 1988)
Irene (b. 1996)
Marc (b. 1998)
OccupationFlight engineer
StatusRetired
AwardsGrand Cross of Aeronautical Merit
Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation
Member of the Order of Friendship (Russian Federation)
Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"
Space career
ESA astronaut
Time in space
18d 18h 46min
Selection1992 ESA Group
MissionsSTS-95, Soyuz TMA-3/2
Mission insignia

Biography

Early life and education

He was born in Madrid in 1963, as the son of an agricultural engineer who worked as an air traffic controller, and a housewife from Badajoz. In 1986 Duque earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. In 1986 he worked for GMV and for the European Space Agency (ESA) for six years before being selected as an astronaut candidate in 1992.

Astronaut

Duque underwent training in both Russia and the United States. His first spaceflight was as a mission specialist aboard space shuttle mission STS-95, during which Duque supervised ESA experimental modules. In October 2003, Duque visited the International Space Station on board of a Soyuz TMA Ship for several days during a crew changeover. The scientific program of this visit was called by ESA/Spain Misión Cervantes.

Duque (standing, second from the right) with the crew of the STS-95 in 1998
Duque working on a glovebox while aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 8

University and Business

In 2003 he started working at UPM School of Aeronautical Engineers as head of operations of the Spanish USOC, also lecturing students on space science and operations.[1]

In 2006 Duque was named managing director of Deimos Imaging, a private company, that in 2009 put in orbit the first Spanish earth observation satellite (Deimos 1) with uses in agriculture, forestry wildfire detection and control. In 2011 he was named CEO of the Company.

Return to the ESA

In October 2011 Duque returned to his position in the European Space Agency, retaking his position as an astronaut. Until 2015 he was the leader of the Flight Operations Office, with responsibility for ESA operations in the ISS. After that he assumed the responsibility of the review of future ESA manned flights, within the ESA's astronaut corps.

Minister
Duque photographed in 2018 in La Moncloa with his minister portfolio.

After the success of the motion of no confidence against the government of Mariano Rajoy in June 2018, President Pedro Sanchez named Pedro Duque Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities.[2]

In April 2019, Duque announce that his ministry was going to increase Spain's contribution to the European Space Agency by €701 million between 2020 and 2026 to ensure a proper contribution regarding the Spanish economy size.[3]

As the rest of the Sánchez cabinet, Duque ran for the April 2019 general election, being elected MP for Alicante.[4]

Honors and Decorations

See also

References
  1. "El Astronauta e Ingeniero Aeronáutico Pedro Duque "ficha" por su Escuela". Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronaúticos (in Spanish). Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. 21 October 2004. Archived from the original on 8 December 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2005.
  2. "Astronaut Pedro Duque appointed to Spain's new Cabinet". 6 June 2018.
  3. Domínguez, Nuño (2019-04-26). "España aumenta 700 millones su contribución a la exploración del espacio". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  4. "Carcedo y Duque recogen su acta de diputados en el Congreso". Consalud (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-06-01.
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