2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program
2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program
2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program
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APPENDIX A<br />
In Memoriam<br />
Frank Caldeiro<br />
Figure 70:<br />
Frank Caldeiro<br />
On October 3 rd , the WB-57 team lost a valuable team<br />
member and friend, Fernando “Frank” Caldeiro. He<br />
had battled brain cancer for two and a half years.<br />
Prior to his career at <strong>NASA</strong>, Frank worked for<br />
Rockwell International. From 1985 through 1988,<br />
he served as a test director during the production<br />
and flight test of the Rockwell/USAF B-1B Bomber.<br />
In 1988, he transferred to Kennedy Space Center<br />
to work for Rockwell International as a propulsion<br />
specialist.<br />
Frank was hired by <strong>NASA</strong> at Kennedy Space Center<br />
in 1991 as a cryogenics and propulsion systems<br />
expert for the safety and mission assurance office.<br />
He participated in 52 space shuttle launches while at<br />
KSC. He enjoyed living in Florida and met his wife,<br />
Donna there.<br />
Frank was selected as an Astronaut in 1996, <strong>NASA</strong>’s<br />
16 th class of astronaut candidates, or “ascans”. His<br />
class was dubbed “The Sardines” because at 44<br />
members, they were the largest group of astronaut<br />
candidates ever chosen by <strong>NASA</strong>.<br />
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 12, 1958,<br />
Frank was the first person of Argentinean descent<br />
to train for a spaceflight. He was proud of his<br />
Argentinean and Spanish heritage, enjoying visits to<br />
both of those countries to visit relatives and friends.<br />
Frank started working with the WB-57 High Altitude<br />
Research <strong>Program</strong> in the Aircraft Operations<br />
Division in early 2006. He was a private pilot as well,<br />
flying a Rutan Long Ez experimental aircraft out<br />
of Ellington Field, so he loved the atmosphere of<br />
work in Aircraft Operations. Along with his work<br />
managing the integration of scientific instruments<br />
onto the WB-57, he also had the opportunity to<br />
fly as a test director with the C-9 Reduced Gravity<br />
<strong>Program</strong>.<br />
Frank is survived by his wife, Donna, and his two<br />
daughters, Annie and Michelle. He will be dearly<br />
missed by all who knew him.<br />
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