Jeff Hoffman, the University's own astronaut
Only one Physics and Astronomy Department in the UK offers modules on space taught by someone who has actually been there.
Jeff Hoffman first came to Leicester in 1972 as a post-doctoral student after completing a PhD in astrophysics at Harvard. By the time he returned to the USA, he had a wife, a son and an attachment to the University which continues to this day in his role as Visiting Professor.
Somewhere inbetween, he flew into space five times on four different Shuttle orbiters, becoming the first astronaut to log more than 1,000 hours in space.
Interviews
- Watch a ten-minute video interview with Professor Hoffman
- Read a detailed text interview with Professor Hoffman
Tales of Hoffman: spaceflight career
| Date | Mission | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1978 | Selected by NASA for astronaut training | |
| Aug 1979 | Became a fully qualified astronaut | |
| Nov 1982 | STS-5 | Support crewmember |
| Aug 1983 | STS-8 | CAPCOM (capsule communicator) |
| Apr 1985 | STS-51-D | Mission specialist |
| Feb 1987 | STS-82 | CAPCOM |
| Dec 1990 | STS-35 | Mission specialist |
| Jul/Aug 1992 | STS-46 | Payload commander and mission specialist |
| Dec 1993 | STS-61 | EVA crewmember |
| Feb/Mar 1996 | STS-75 | Mission specialist |
| Jul 1997 | Left astronaut program to become NASA's European representative in Paris |
