12 Facts About Philippe Perrin

Philippe Perrin was born on January 6,1963 and is a French test pilot, engineer and former CNES and European Space Agency astronaut.

Philippe Perrin served as mission specialist on the STS-111 mission where he conducted three spacewalks attaching new hardware to the International Space Station and replacing a wrist joint on the Canadarm2.

Philippe Perrin entered the Ecole polytechnique in 1982 and graduated in 1985.

Philippe Perrin then received his Test Pilot Licence in 1993 from the Ecole du personnel navigant d'essais et de reception, the French Test Pilot School at Istres Air Force Base and received his Air Line Pilot Certificate in 1995.

Philippe Perrin flew the Mirage F1CR and made detachments in Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Philippe Perrin has flown 26 combat missions and has logged over 2,500 flying hours in over 30 types.

Philippe Perrin reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996.

Philippe Perrin served as a mission specialist on the STS-111 mission in 2002 and logged over 332 hours in space, including 19 hours and 31 minutes in three spacewalks, performed with Franklin Chang-Diaz.

Philippe Perrin did not fly in space with ESA and left the European Astronaut Corps in 2004.

Philippe Perrin is currently working as a test pilot for Airbus.

Philippe Perrin is the only French astronaut to have received the Legion d'Honneur before flying in space as he became chevalier due to his actions while he was a military pilot.

Philippe Perrin was then elevated to the officier class after his space mission.