prof. dr. Wubbo Ockels

Prof. dr. Wubbo Ockels was in 1946 in Almelo, Holland. He received a Ph.D. degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Groningen in 1978. His M.Sc. thesis was based on experimental work at the Nuclear Physics Accelerator Institute (K.V.I.) in Groningen in 1973. His research had to do with gamma radiation of nuclear systems and the development of a database system for designing electrons and programming real-time software. He also contributed to the design and construction of positive sensitive charged particle detectors.

His career: 1978; research scientist at K.V.I.; successfully completed MSP training as a member of NASA astronaut class IX, 1981; alternate PSP STS-9, 1983; nominated by ESA as the second candidate PSP for IML-1, 1985; stationed at ESA's research and technology centre, ESTEC, in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, where he supported human spaceflights activities, 1986; became later Head of ESA's Education and Outreach Office in Noordwijk; during this time he also held a part-time professorship in Aerospace at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft); member of the prime crew for the Spacelab D-2 mission, but the new safety rules after the Challenger accident (a maximum of seven crewmembers) prevented him from flying, 1988; nominated by the Investigator Working Group for IML-2 as a PSP and unanimously supported by the ESA member states in a letter to NASA for a second (European) PSP on that mission.

In 1992; one of six ESA candidates for the EuroMir flights, but was rejected because of a minor medical problem, 1993; retired from active duty, 1994; continues working as a part-time professor at TU Delft and at the University of Groningen. He took part in preliminary studies for a European Moon Program. In 1996 he introduced a proposition for a Lunar South Pole expedition by robots in 2001, Euromoon. He supervised the Euromoon industrial study until 1998. In 2001 and 2003 he acted as a technical advisor for the Dutch student team that won the Solar Challenge, the world championship for cars on solar energy.

September 2003, Wubbo Ockels was appointed professor of Durable Energy at the Technical University Delft. Currently Ockels is Head of Office at ESA's new office for Educational Projects for Outreach Activities, meant to give young scientists and engineers a chance to get the necessary experience by participating in real projects. Wubbo Ockels is an experienced international speaker.