Patrick Baudry
A French Air Force colonel who rode the Space Shuttle to orbit, blending Gallic flair with the hard science of spaceflight.
Born 1946 (age 80)·French fighter pilot and astronaut·Birthday: March 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Patrick Baudry's path to the stars was carved through the sound barrier. A distinguished fighter pilot and test pilot in the French Air Force, he was selected by France's space agency, CNES, embodying a national ambition to join the spacefaring elite. His moment came in 1985 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-51-G. As a payload specialist, he wasn't just a passenger; he conducted a suite of French biomedical and technological experiments in microgravity, becoming the second French citizen to reach orbit. His flight was a symbol of international cooperation in the Shuttle era. After his space mission, Baudry continued to advocate for aviation and space exploration, transitioning from operational flying to a role as a global ambassador for the astronautic experience.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Patrick was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Patrick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Patrick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Flew as a payload specialist on NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-51-G in June 1985.
- Became the second French citizen, after Jean-Loup Chrétien, to travel into space.
- Conducted a series of French scientific experiments during his week-long orbital mission.
- Had a long career as a fighter pilot and test pilot in the French Air Force, rising to the rank of colonel.
Did You Know?
A Saudi Arabian prince, Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, was a fellow crew member on his Shuttle flight, making it a mission of two 'firsts'.
He served as a test pilot for the Airbus A300 and A310 aircraft during his aviation career.
He was a backup payload specialist for the earlier Franco-Soviet space mission.
“Looking at Earth from space, you see no borders, only a fragile blue planet.”
