Claudie Haigneré

Claudie Haigneré is the first French and European woman to have gone to space, marking a milestone in the history of astronautics. A rheumatologist and doctor of neurosciences, she holds degrees from the medical faculties of Dijon, Cochin-Port Royal in Paris, and the University of Paris V-René Descartes. In 1985, she was selected as an astronaut candidate by the Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES). After training in Russia, she completed her first spaceflight in 1996 aboard the Mir space station during the Cassiopée mission, becoming the first French woman in space. In 2001, she returned to space for the Andromède mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside her achievements in spaceflight, Claudie Haigneré has pursued a career in scientific research and public life. She served as Minister Delegate for Research and New Technologies (2002–2004) and then for European Affairs (2004–2005). An adviser to the European Space Agency (ESA), she also presided over Universcience from 2010 to 2015. The recipient of numerous distinctions, she remains an iconic figure in science and technology.