View source for Nicholas Patrick

{{short description| British-American astronaut and engineer (born 1964)}}
{{other people||Nick Patrick (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox astronaut
|name          = Nick Patrick
|image         = Nicholas Patrick 2009.jpg
|birth_name    = Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick
|birth_date    = {{birth date and age|df=y|1964|11|19}}
|birth_place   = [[Saltburn-by-the-Sea]], [[England]], UK
|death_date    = 
|death_place   = 
|nationality   = British<br>American
|education     = [[Trinity College, Cambridge]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
|type          = [[NASA astronaut]]
|time          = 26d 14h 52m
|selection     = [[NASA Astronaut Group 17|NASA Group 17 (1998)]]
|missions      = [[STS-116]]<br>[[STS-130]]
|insignia      = [[File:Sts-116-patch.png|45px]] [[File:STS-130 patch.png|45px]]
|module = {{Infobox scientist
|embed = yes
|thesis_title = Decision-Aiding and Optimization for Vertical Navigation of Long-Haul Aircraft
|thesis_year = 1996
|thesis_url = https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/29630
|doctoral_advisor = [[Thomas B. Sheridan]]
|field = [[Mechanical engineering]]}}
}}
'''Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick''' (born 19 November 1964), is a British-American engineer and a former [[NASA]] [[astronaut]]. His flight on the 2006 ''[[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]'' [[STS-116]] mission made him the fourth person born in the United Kingdom to go into space.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35103788|title=The seven Britons to go to space|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=15 December 2015}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Patrick was born in [[Saltburn-by-the-Sea]] in the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]], England, in 1964<ref name=nasabio>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/patrick_nicholas.pdf |title=NICHOLAS J. M. PATRICK (PH.D., P.E.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER) |date=June 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2021 |publisher=NASA}}</ref>  to Gillian and Stewart Patrick. His mother came from the [[Skye|Isle of Skye]] in Scotland.<ref name="Scotland">{{cite web |title=Scottish Parliament space mission saltire flag lands with National Museums Scotland |author=Scottish Government |date=29 July 2011 |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/24563.aspx |access-date=15 October 2013}}</ref> He grew up in both [[London]] and [[Rye (city), New York|Rye, New York]], and became a [[citizenship in the United States|United States citizen]] in 1994. Patrick is married to a paediatrician originally from Peru and has three children.

==Education and early career==
Patrick was first educated at [[Harrow School]] and [[Trinity College, Cambridge|Trinity College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] (receiving an undergraduate degree in Engineering in 1986). During his university years, he learned to fly as a member of the [[Royal Air Force]]'s [[Cambridge University Air Squadron]]. After Cambridge, he worked for four years as an engineer for the Aircraft Engines Division of [[General Electric]], in [[Lynn, Massachusetts]] in the United States.

Patrick then attended the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], receiving a master's degree (1990) and a PhD. (1996), both in [[Mechanical Engineering]]. Afterwards, he joined [[Boeing]]'s Commercial Airplane Group in [[Seattle]].

==Space career==
===NASA career===
[[File: STS-130 EVA3 Nicholas Patrick 1.jpg|left|thumb|Nicholas Patrick on STS-130 is pictured outside the ''Cupola'']]
Patrick was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and reported to NASA's [[Johnson Space Center]] (JSC) for astronaut training in August 1998. His initial training included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and [[International Space Station]] systems, and physiological, survival, and classroom training in preparation for [[T-38 Talon|T-38]] flight.

Patrick has logged over 308 hours in space, having completed his first space mission as a member of the crew of [[STS-116]] – a construction and logistics mission to the International Space Station. He occasionally serves as a [[capsule communicator|CAPCOM]]; for example, he worked with the Orbit 2 team for [[STS-120]].

Patrick notably put the finishing touches on the ''[[Tranquility (ISS module)|Tranquility]]'' node during [[STS-130]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8518744.stm |title=ISS crew in third spacewalk to fit new Tranquility Node |date=17 February 2010 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=17 February 2010}}</ref>

In July 2004, Patrick served as an [[aquanaut]] during the [[NEEMO#NEEMO 6: July 12–21, 2004|NEEMO 6]] mission aboard the [[Aquarius (laboratory)|Aquarius]] [[Underwater habitat|underwater laboratory]], living and working underwater for ten days.<ref name="six">{{Cite web |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/support/training/neemo/neemo6/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041118020722/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/support/training/neemo/neemo6/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 November 2004 |title=NEEMO 6 |access-date=23 September 2011 |publisher=NASA |date=3 August 2004 |author=NASA}}</ref>  In August 2007, he served as the commander of the [[NEEMO#NEEMO 13: August 6–15, 2007|NEEMO 13]] mission, living underwater for another ten days.<ref name="thirteen">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/jul/HQ_07164_NEEMO_13.html |title=NASA Announces Next Undersea Exploration Mission Dates and Crew |access-date=23 September 2011 |publisher=NASA |date=24 July 2007 |author=NASA}}</ref>

Patrick retired from the [[NASA Astronaut Corps]] in May 2012.<ref name="retired">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/releases/2012/J12-010.html |title=NASA Astronauts Kenneth Ham and Nicholas Patrick Leave Agency |access-date=19 June 2012 |publisher=NASA |date=15 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=nasabio/>

====NASA spaceflight experience====
[[STS-116]] ''[[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]'' (9–22 December 2006): The seven-member crew on this 12-day mission continued construction of the ISS outpost by adding the [[P5 spacer truss segment]] during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station's power system, preparing it to support the addition of European and Japanese science modules by future shuttle crews. The fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to coax and retract a stubborn solar panel to fold up accordion-style into its box. ''Discovery'' also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station returned to Earth with STS-116. Mission duration was 12 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes.<ref name=nasabio/>

Owing to both his Scottish ancestry and involvement in the [[Careers Scotland Space School]], Patrick took with him on ''Discovery'' a [[Flag of Scotland|Scottish flag]] that had been flown at the [[Scottish Parliament]].<ref name="Scotland" /> It is now kept on display at the [[National Museum of Scotland]] in [[Edinburgh]].<ref name="Scotland" />

[[STS-130]] ''[[Space Shuttle Endeavour|Endeavour]]'' (8 to 21 February 2010): This mission launched at night, carrying the International Space Station's final permanent modules: ''Tranquility'' and ''Cupola''. ''Tranquility'' (or Node 3) is now the life-support hub of the station, containing exercise, water recycling, and environmental control systems, while the ''Cupola'' provides the largest set of windows ever to grace a spacecraft. These seven windows, arranged in a hemisphere, provide a spectacular and panoramic view of Earth and a direct view of station robotic operations. During the 13-day, 18-hour mission, ''Endeavour'' and her six-member crew traveled more than 5.7 million miles and completed 217 orbits of the Earth, touching down at night at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

===Blue Origin career===
Patrick joined [[Blue Origin]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.geekwire.com/2012/veteran-nasa-astronaut-joining-nicholas-patrick/ |title= Veteran NASA astronaut Nicholas Patrick joins Blue Origin as human integration architect |author= Taylor Soper |date= 20 November 2012 |publisher= GeekWire }}</ref> He currently holds the positions of New Shepard Flight Director and Senior Director of Human Integration at Blue Origin.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.space.com/29728-blue-origin-private-spaceflight-video.html |title= Blue Origin Offers Tantalizing Preview of Private Space Trips (Video) |author= Calla Cofield |date= 22 June 2015 |publisher= [[SPACE.com]] }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Twitter}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/patrick_nicholas.pdf |title=NICHOLAS J. M. PATRICK (PH.D., P.E.), NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER) |date=June 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2021 |publisher=NASA}}
* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/patrick_nicholas.htm Spacefacts biography of Nicholas Patrick]

{{Blue Origin}}

{{NASA Astronaut Group 17|state=autocollapse}}
{{Underwater diving|unddiv}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patrick, Nicholas}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Aquanauts]]
[[Category:Blue Origin people]]<!-- currently Human Integration Architect, Blue Origin, as of May 2015 -->
[[Category:People in the space industry]]
[[Category:British astronauts]]
[[Category:English emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:People from Saltburn-by-the-Sea]]
[[Category:People educated at Harrow School]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force Air Cadets]]
[[Category:MIT School of Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:NASA civilian astronauts]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts]]
[[Category:Spacewalkers]]