Leroy Chiao is an American astronaut, engineer, entrepreneur, and space advocate. Born on August 28, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chiao is best known for his contribution to NASA's space exploration missions, specifically his tenure as a NASA astronaut from 1990 to 2005.
Chiao holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as a Master of Science degree and a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His academic background and expertise in engineering led him to be selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1990.
During his career at NASA, Chiao served as the Mission Specialist for four space shuttle missions, including missions STS-65, STS-72, STS-92, and STS-111. He accumulated over 229 days in space, including six spacewalks totaling over 36 hours outside the spacecraft.
Following his retirement from NASA, Chiao has been actively involved in entrepreneurial ventures, working as a co-founder and CEO of a space technology startup company. He also remains committed to advocating for space exploration, contributing to public speaking engagements, consulting, and media appearances to promote the importance of space exploration and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Overall, Leroy Chiao is a distinguished astronaut, engineer, entrepreneur, and space advocate who has made significant contributions to the field of space exploration while inspiring others with his passion for pushing the boundaries of human exploration beyond the confines of Earth.
