Wubbo Ockels

Wubbo Ockels

Wubbo Johannes Ockels (28 March 1946 – 18 May 2014) was a Dutch physicist and astronaut with the European Space Agency. In 1985, he became the first Dutch citizen to travel into space. He flew on the space shuttle STS-61-A as a payload specialist, sharing this journey with astronauts from different countries.

After his space mission, Ockels used his experience to teach others. He became a professor of aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology, inspiring students with his passion for space and technology. His work helped connect the wonders of space to education and future explorers.

Education and early life

Wubbo Ockels was born in Almelo, Netherlands, but grew up in Groningen. He studied physics and mathematics at the University of Groningen. He finished his master’s degree in 1973 and his doctorate in 1978.

During this time, Ockels worked at the Nuclear Physics Accelerator Institute in Groningen. He studied how small parts of atoms release energy. He also helped build tools to find these parts and guided new physics students with their work.

ESA career

In 1978, Wubbo Ockels was chosen by the European Space Agency to train for a space mission. He and another astronaut began training with NASA in 1980. Later, Ockels decided to focus on a project called Spacelab.

Ockels flew in space in 1985 on a mission called STS-61A. This mission had eight people from different countries, and they did many important science experiments. Ockels traveled a long way and spent many hours in space during this trip.

Scientific career

In 1992, Ockels became a part-time professor of aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology. In 2003, he became a full-time professor. He helped guide the Nuna projects and suggested a new way to create fast public transportation called the Superbus. A company named Connexxion helped start this idea.

Ockels also worked with students on a solar racer team called the Nuon Solar Team. This team won a big race called the World Solar Challenge four times in a row. He started the Superbus project and helped create a company called "The Green Canals" to support green engineering ideas. In 2009, he talked about how we understand time based on how we see the effects of gravity.

Personal life

Wubbo Ockels was married and had two children and two grandchildren. His sister was politician Marjet Ockels.

In August 2005, Ockels had a health issue and was in the hospital, but he got better and went back to his work at the Delft University of Technology. In 2013, he learned he had a serious illness and passed away from related complications in 2014.

Honours

Wubbo Ockels received many awards for his achievements. He was made an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in the Netherlands and received the Merit Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. He also earned the NASA Public Service Award and the NASA Space Flight Medal. In the Netherlands, he was given the Generaal Snijdersfonds Gold Medal for aviation.

In popular culture

On March 28, 2020, Google celebrated Wubbo Ockels' birthday with a special drawing called a Google Doodle.

In the television show For All Mankind, a character based on Ockels appears in a scene on the Moon during a big storm of sunlight, and another character helps them.

The name "Wubbo Ockels Base" is used for a space habitat in the video game Terra Invicta.

Dutch rapper Donnie made a song named after Ockels in 2015, with music by Bas Bron. Also, a band called John Wayne Shot Me wrote a song titled "Wubbo Ockels" for their album. A Dutch band named Freaking Farmer Boys wrote a tribute song called "Wubbo oh Wubbo," which they performed in concerts in 1986 and 1987.