The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Born on 19 November 1958 in Longeville-les-Metz, France Jean-François Clervoy considers Toulouse, France, to be his adopted hometown. He is married to Laurence Boulanger and they have two children. Jean-François enjoys racquet sports, skill games, canyoning and skiing. He also likes playing with boomerangs, frisbees and kites. His parents reside near Paris, France.
In 1991, he trained in Star City, Russia, on the Soyuz and Mir systems. In 1992, he joined the ESA astronaut corps at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. In August 1992 Jean-François was detached to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA, to qualify as a Space Shuttle mission specialist.
Between spaceflights, Jean-François was assigned as flight software verification lead in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and as robotics display design lead for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. After his third spaceflight, he was assigned as the International Space Station display integration lead in NASA’s Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center.