Fernando
"Frank" Caldeiro, a NASA astronaut and the first person of
Argentinean descent to train for a spaceflight, died on Saturday after a two
and a half year battle with brain cancer. He was 51.
First hired by NASA in 1991 as an expert in cryogenics and propulsion systems
for the Kennedy Space Center's safety and mission assurance office in Florida,
he took part in 52 space shuttle launches before being chosen as
an astronaut candidate in 1996.
As a member of NASA's 16th class of "ascans," dubbed "The
Sardines" because at 44 candidates they were the largest group of
astronauts to be chosen to date, Caldeiro went through basic training alongside
Peggy Whitson, the current chief of the Astronaut Office, and Jeff Williams,
who arrived aboard the International Space Station (ISS) last week, among many
others.
Caldeiro however, would never be assigned
to a mission.
In 2006, he told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper, "Flying in space, to me,
has become more like, well, you know, you can't chase something so much that
you run it over. You can be obsessed by it and be miserable or you can say,
'Well, this is an opportunity; I'm first in line in front of 350-million other
people.'"
Embracing a career with NASA that followed the latter path, Caldeiro served in
technical support roles, first as the lead astronaut for the station's life
support systems and its European-built components, reviewing the design and
manufacture of the U.S. "Harmony" Node 2 and European Space Agency
(ESA) Columbus modules, as well as the yet-to-be-launched Cupola robotics
viewing port and the space shuttle-lofted cargo carriers, the Multi Purpose
Logistics Modules (MPLM).
From June 2005 to December 2006, Caldeiro served as the lead astronaut in
charge of shuttle software testing at the Johnson Space Center's Shuttle
Avionics Integration Laboratory, testing in-flight maintenance procedures,
prior to being reassigned to Houston's nearby Ellington Field to direct the
high-altitude atmospheric research experiment program carried onboard NASA's
WB-57 aircraft.
He was still serving in that role when he passed away.
"Frank was a valued member of the astronaut corps and the Flight Crew
Operations team," said fellow astronaut Brent Jett, the director of NASA's
Flight Crew Operations. "He provided a wealth of experience and made
significant contributions to the success of both the WB-57 project and the
space shuttle program. He will be missed by all those who knew him at NASA. Our
hearts go out to his family."
Born June
12, 1958, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Caldeiro immigrated to the United States
at age 16 not speaking a word of English. First settling in Flushing, New York,
he went on to earn an associate degree in applied science in aerospace
technology from the State University of New York at Farmingdale, followed by a
bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of
Arizona in 1978 and 1984 respectively.
Eleven years later, he completed his master of science degree in engineering
management from the University of Central Florida.
Before working for NASA, Caldeiro was hired by Rockwell International, working
on the checkout and delivery of all 100 B-1B Bombers to the U.S. Air Force. In
1988, he reported to Kennedy Space Center as a Rockwell space shuttle main
propulsion system specialist responsible for the ground processing and launch
of shuttle Discovery.
In 2002, he was named National Hispanic Scientist of the Year by the Museum of
Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida. That same year, he was appointed by
President George W. Bush to serve on the Advisory Commission on Educational
Excellence for Hispanic Americans under the "No Child Left Behind"
Act.
A member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association, Caldeiro was known to enjoy flying and racing his own Rutan
Long Ez experimental aircraft, in which he logged over 500 hours.
He is survived by his wife, the former Donna Marie Emero of Huntington Beach,
California, and two daughters, Annie and Michelle.
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