He is the first of ten French astronauts to leave definitively for the stars… However, Jean-Jacques Favier, 73, remains relatively unknown. A scientist above all, he had flown on the shuttle Columbia for the record mission STS-78, spending more than 16 days as a “guinea pig” before the installation of the ISS.
He was the sixth Frenchman to have gone into orbit.
Astronaut, but also and above all scientist
Not being a soldier or a test pilot, Jean-Jacques Favier had to have the patience to wait for a selection of French astronauts open to scientists in 1985. With a double doctorate in engineering from the École des Mines and in metallurgy at the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, the one who remained a CEA researcher did not have the typical profile of the pioneers. He had rather that of the experimenters of the great adventure of stations in low orbit. Seconded to the United States after his training, he is preparing for a mission as a mission specialist. He said: ” I have a rather atypical profile, I am not a pilot, but an astronaut-physicist. »
He was first trained for the STS-65 mission (he will be a reserve), then for his flight on the Columbia shuttle with STS-78, which took off on June 20, 1996. With the help of the Spacelab orbital laboratory, the astronauts will carry out an anthology of scientific experiments lasting more than two weeks preparing the future activities and rhythms of the International Space Station. After a record flight for the American space plane of 16 days and 21 hours, the shuttle lands in Florida. This will be the only flight of Jean-Jacques Favier, who will resume his activities as a teacher-researcher after his return to France.
A dream of shared space
Retired for several years, Jean-Jacques Favier has shared his experience and his passion for science and for space at numerous meetings and conferences, in particular in the Grandes Ecoles and universities. He died on March 19, 2023 at the age of 73. This is unfortunately the first death among the small community of French astronauts, which has only ten members (eleven including Sophie Adenot, who will start her training), the vast majority of whom are retired.
The French space agency, which pays tribute to him today in a press release, salutes the journey of the astronaut and scientist. He said in 2018: Space is a fundamental physical laboratory. He wanted space travel to be open to everyone one day.
Source : CNES
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