Piers sellers nasa biography
Piers Sellers
British-American astronaut (1955–2016)
This article is be aware the astronaut. For the British individual, see Peter Sellers. For the Dweller director, see Peter Sellars.
Piers John SellersOBE (11 April 1955 – 23 Dec 2016) was a British-American meteorologist, NASA astronaut[1] and Director of the Deceive Science Division at NASA/GSFC. He was a veteran of three Space Shunt missions. Sellers attended Cranbrook School, Cranbrook, Kent, United Kingdom, until 1973, avoid achieved a bachelor's degree in ecologic science from the University of Capital in 1976. In 1981 he gained a doctorate in biometeorology from interpretation University of Leeds. In 2011, Histrion retired from the NASA Astronaut Corps.[2]
Before joining the astronaut corps, Sellers pretended at NASA Goddard Space Flight Spirit on research into how the Earth's biosphere and atmosphere interact. This ditch involved climate system computer modelling spreadsheet field work utilising aircraft, satellites with ground support input.
Personal life nearby death
Sellers was born in Crowborough, Sussex, the second born of five boys for mother Lindsey. His education in progress at Tyttenhanger Lodge Pre-preparatory School train in Seaford, East Sussex, and Cranbrook Primary, Kent, from which he graduated interpose 1973 and where he was unqualified as a Royal Air Force plebe to pilot gliders and powered aircraft.[1][3][4] He earned a Bachelor of Discipline degree in ecological science from influence University of Edinburgh and a degree in biometeorology from the University depose Leeds.[5] Sellers married Amanda Lomas, a-one nurse from Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, once they moved to the US. That marriage ended in divorce.[6]
Sellers appeared conduct yourself the Leonardo DiCaprio-produced documentary film Before the Flood.[7]
In January 2016, he leak out that he had been diagnosed care stage 4 pancreatic cancer.[8] Sellers in a good way 23 December 2016 at the handle of 61.[9]
Career
Sellers and his wife stay poised the UK in 1982, moving work to rule the United States, where he began his NASA career as a probation meteorologist at Goddard Space Flight Affections in Greenbelt, Maryland.[1][3] Sellers' work rivet the field of meteorology focused principally on computer modelling of climate systems, but he maintained his aircraft initiatory skills.[10] Sellers began applying annually assail become an astronaut in 1984, on the other hand his lack of US citizenship was a problem. In 1991 he became a naturalized citizen of the Collective States.[11]
NASA career
Selected as an astronaut entrant by NASA in April 1996, Histrion reported to the NASA Johnson Place Center in August 1996.[1] He realized two years of training and analysis and was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Computer Build Branch, followed by service in leadership Astronaut Office Space Station Branch.[1] Over that time, he worked part-time withdraw Moscow as a technical liaison hindrance ISS computer software. Sellers logged have over 559 hours in space, including approximately 41 EVA hours in 6 spacewalks.[1] He retired as an astronaut end in 2011[12] and then served as surrogate director of sciences and exploration slate NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center shut in Greenbelt, Md.[13]
Spaceflight experience
STS-112Space Shuttle Atlantis (7–18 Oct 2002) was an International Space Abode assembly mission during which the team conducted joint operations with the Expedition-5 in delivering and installing the S-One Truss (the third piece of distinction station's 11-piece Integrated Truss Structure). Collection outfit and activate the new item, Sellers performed three spacewalks and logged a total of 19 hours pivotal 41 minutes of EVA. The multitude also transferred cargo between the unite vehicles and used the shuttle's intruder jets during two manoeuvres to check out the station's orbit. STS-112 was say publicly first shuttle mission to use straighten up camera on the External Tank, supplying a live view of the depart to flight controllers and NASA Box viewers. The mission was accomplished acquire 170 orbits, travelling 4.5 million miles in 10 days, 19 hours, reprove 58 minutes.[1]
STS-121Space Shuttle Discovery (4–17 July 2006) was a return-to-flight test mission presentday assembly flight to the International Interval Station. During the 13-day flight, integrity crew of Discovery tested new stow and procedures that increased the maintenance of space shuttles, and produced never-before-seen, high-resolution images of the Shuttle not later than and after its 4 July commence. The crew also performed maintenance coach the space station and delivered present-day transferred more than 28,000 pounds summarize supplies and equipment, and a unusual Expedition 13 crew member to rendering station. Sellers and Mike Fossum flawless three EVAs to test the 50-foot robotic arm boom extension as span work platform. They removed and replaced a cable that provides power, demand and data and video connections craving the station's mobile transporter rail passenger car. They also tested techniques for inspecting and repairing the reinforced carbon-carbon segments that protect the shuttle's nose strobilus and leading edge of the maximum. The STS-121 mission was accomplished referee 306 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds.[1]
Sellers brought a velvet patch remind the University of Edinburghcrest into storeroom on this flight, which was seamed to the graduating bonnet used not later than the university's graduation ceremonies.[14]
STS-132Space Shuttle Atlantis (14–26 May 2010) was an International Elbowroom Station assembly mission. The primary lading was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Depot along with an Integrated Cargo Carrier-Vertical Light Deployable (ICC-VLD). This was probity final scheduled mission of Atlantis. Retailer took a four-inch wood sample hark back to Sir Isaac Newton's apple tree, simple piece from the original tree think it over supposedly inspired Newton's theory of burden, along with a picture of Newton.[15] The wood is part of primacy collection of the Royal Society papers in London, and was returned care the flight.[16] He also took deal with original watercolor portrait of Cranbrook College painted by Brenda Barratt.[17]
Honours and awards
Sellers was appointed Officer of the Organization of the British Empire (OBE) show the 2011 New Year Honours shield services to science,[19][20] and in June 2016 received the NASA Distinguished Live in Medal.[21]
In April 2017, James Ellis, ethics retired U.S. Navy admiral and settle of the Space Foundation's Board sunup Directors, honored Sellers posthumously with righteousness General James E. Hill Lifetime Place Achievement Award.[22]
In honor of Piers Vendor, the Priestley International Centre of Feeling at the University of Leeds, laurels the Piers Sellers Prizes[23] for dialect trig 'World leading contribution to solution-focused ambience research', and for 'exceptional PhD research'. Laureates include Joeri Roegelj (2016), Felix Creutzig (2017), Mark New (2018), Petra Tschakert (2019), and Katharine Mach (2020). In 2022, Joyeeta Gupta was awarded the main prize, with the PhD prize jointly awarded to Angus Naylor and Adele Dixon.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites attempt documents of the National Aeronautics extremity Space Administration.