Norman Thagard
Norman Thagard | |
|---|---|
| Born | Norman Earl Thagard July 3, 1943 Marianna, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Captain, US Marine Corps |
Time in space | 140 days, 13 hours and 24 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 8 (1978) |
| Missions | |
Mission insignia | |
| Retirement | January 3, 1996 |
Norman Earl Thagard (born July 3, 1943; Capt, USMC, Ret.) is an American scientist and former U.S. Marine Corps officer and naval aviator and NASA astronaut. On March 14, 1995, he became the first American to ride to space on board a Russian vehicle, the Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft for the Russian Mir-18 mission. Therefore, Thagard was the first American cosmonaut.