Nicholas Patrick

British-American engineer and former NASA astronaut

Nicholas Patrick in 2009

Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick (born 22 March 1964) is a British-American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He flew on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-116 and STS-130, and conducted three spacewalks.

Early life and education

Patrick was born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, England. He attended Harrow School in London and later moved to the United States to pursue higher education. Patrick earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Engineering from Cambridge University in 1986. He then went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1990, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from MIT in 1996.

NASA career

Patrick was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1998. After completing two years of training and evaluation, he qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. His technical assignments included work on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) programs.

STS-116

STS-116 Mission Patch

Patrick's first spaceflight was on STS-116, which launched on December 9, 2006. The mission's primary objective was to deliver and install the P5 truss segment to the ISS. During the mission, Patrick participated in two spacewalks, helping to reconfigure the station's power and thermal systems.

STS-130

STS-130 Mission Patch

Patrick's second spaceflight was on STS-130, which launched on February 8, 2010. The mission delivered the Tranquility module and the Cupola to the ISS. Patrick conducted two spacewalks during this mission, totaling over 12 hours of extravehicular activity.

Nicholas Patrick during STS-130 EVA 3

Post-NASA career

After retiring from NASA in 2012, Patrick joined Blue Origin, a private aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company founded by Jeff Bezos. At Blue Origin, he worked on the development of the New Shepard suborbital spacecraft.

Personal life

Patrick is married and has three children. He holds dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and the United States. In his spare time, he enjoys flying, scuba diving, and skiing.

Related pages

• List of astronauts by name
• List of spacewalkers
• Space Shuttle program
• International Space Station