Philippe Perrin

Philippe Perrin (Colonel, French Air Force) (born January 6, 1963) is a French test pilot, engineer and former CNES and European Space Agency astronaut. He 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.

Background Perrin was born 6 January 1963, in Meknes, Morocco, but considers Avignon, Provence, to be his hometown. He entered the École polytechnique in 1982 and graduated in 1985. Perrin then received his Test Pilot Licence in 1993 from the École du personnel navigant d'essais et de réception (EPNER), the French Test Pilot School at Istres Air Force Base and received his Air Line Pilot Certificate in 1995.

He did not fly in space with ESA and left the European Astronaut Corps in 2004. He is currently working as a test pilot for Airbus.

Spaceflight experience STS-111 Endeavour (5–19 June 2002). The STS-111 mission delivered a new ISS resident crew and a Canadian-built mobile base for the ISS robotic arm. The crew repaired the ISS robot arm by replacing one of the arm's joints. It was the second Space Shuttle mission dedicated to delivering research equipment to ISS. Perrin did three EVAs (spacewalks) with Franklin Chang-Diaz. STS-111 also brought home the Expedition 4 crew from their -month stay aboard the station. Mission duration was 13 days, 20 hours and 35 minutes. Unacceptable weather conditions in Florida forced a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Awards and honors Awarded his pilot’s wings "first of his class" in 1996 French Air Force Award for Flight Safety (2) in 1989 French Overseas Medal (Gulf War, 1991) French National Defense Medal (2) Officier, Légion d'Honneur

Perrin is the only French astronaut to have received the Légion d'Honneur before flying in space as he became chevalier due to his actions while he was a military pilot. He was then elevated to the officier class after his space mission.