Robert Thirsk
Encyclopedia
Robert Brent "Bob" Thirsk (born August 17, 1953) is a Canadian
engineer
and physician
, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut
. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight (187 days 20 hours) and the most time spent in space (204 days 18 hours).
and is married to Brenda Biasutti of Montreal, Quebec. They have three children. He enjoys spending time with his family as well as flying
, hockey
, squash
, and playing the piano
.
He is a member of the Professional Engineers Ontario
, the College of Family Physicians of Canada
, the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, the Aerospace Medical Association
, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
. He is also a director of the Canadian Foundation for the International Space University
.
He won the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta Gold Medal in 1976 and was the first recipient of the University of Calgary Distinguished Alumni Award (1985). In 1997, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and was awarded honorary membership in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
, Alberta
and Manitoba
, graduating from Calgary's Lord Beaverbrook High School
. His post-secondary education began with receiving a bachelor of science
degree in mechanical engineering
from the University of Calgary
in 1976, and continued with a master of science
degree in mechanical engineering
from MIT
in 1978, an M.D.
from McGill University
in 1982, and his M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management
in 1998 as a Sloan Fellow
. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Calgary while on orbit on July 8, 2009. Fellow ISS crewmember Koichi Wakata
had the honor of placing the convocation cape on Thirsk, which was later removed due to it constantly floating up to his face. This event made Thirsk the first person ever to receive a university degree from space.
residency program at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
in Montreal when he was selected in December 1983 by the National Research Council of Canada
to join the Canadian astronaut program. He began astronaut training in February 1984 and served as backup payload specialist to Marc Garneau
for space shuttle mission STS-41-G
, which flew October 5 to 13, 1984. He has participated in several parabolic flight experiment campaigns on board NASA’s KC-135 aircraft and has been involved in various projects relating to space medicine
, the International Space Station
, mission planning, and education with the Canadian Space Agency. He led an international research team investigating the effect of weightlessness on the heart and blood vessels. His team designed and tested an experimental “anti-gravity suit” that may help astronauts withstand the effects of extended spaceflight on the cardiovascular system.
He served as Chief Astronaut of the Canadian Space Agency in 1993 and 1994. In February 1994, he was crew commander for the CAPSULS mission, a simulated 7-day space mission that involved the participation of several international investigators and three other Canadian astronauts. In 1994-95, Thirsk completed a sabbatical year in Victoria, British Columbia
. During this year, he upgraded his skills in clinical practice, space medicine research and Russian language
training.
On June 20, 1996, Thirsk flew aboard space shuttle mission STS-78
(the life and microgravity Spacelab
mission) as a payload specialist. During this 17-day flight aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia
, he and his six crew mates performed 43 experiments devoted to the study of life and materials science
. Most of these experiments were conducted within the pressurized Spacelab laboratory module situated in the orbiter’s payload bay. The life science experiments investigated changes in plants, animal
s and humans under spaceflight conditions. The materials science experiments examined protein
crystallization, fluid dynamics
and high-temperature solidification of multi-phase materials in microgravity.
While on STS-78, Thirsk wrote two columns for the Calgary Sun
newspaper. This was the first occasion in which an astronaut wrote and filed a story to a newspaper—and had it published—while the astronaut was still in orbit.
In 1998, Thirsk was assigned by the Canadian Space Agency to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to pursue mission specialist training. This training program involves advanced instruction on both shuttle and space station systems, EVA (spacewalking), robotic operations, and Russian language. Within the NASA Astronaut Office, Dr. Thirsk served as a CapCom (capsule communicator) for the International Space Station (ISS) program. CapComs participate in actual and simulated space missions as a communication link between the ground team at Mission Control and the astronauts in orbit. CapComs speak directly with the space station crew, and assist with technical planning for the mission and last-minute troubleshooting.
In October 2004, Thirsk served as the commander of the NEEMO 7 mission aboard the Aquarius
underwater laboratory
, living and working underwater for eleven days. As a back-up crewmember, Thirsk replaced fellow CSA astronaut Dafydd Williams
, who had previously served as an aquanaut
on the NEEMO 1 mission, due to Williams undergoing review of a temporary medical issue. Williams eventually served as the commander of NEEMO 9 in April 2006.
In 2004, Thirsk trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow and became certified as a Flight Engineer for the Soyuz spacecraft. He served as backup Flight Engineer to European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Roberto Vittori
for the Soyuz TMA-6
taxi mission to the ISS in April 2005. During the ten-day mission, Thirsk worked as Crew Interface Coordinator (European CapCom) at the Columbus Control Centre in Germany.
Thirsk was a member of the Expedition 21
crew on the International Space Station. He launched as a Flight Engineer on the Soyuz TMA-15
Soyuz mission on May 27, 2009, as a member of the Expedition 20
crew. He was the first Canadian astronaut to fly on a Soyuz. About this mission, Thirsk is quoted saying "It will be the supreme thrill of my life. Throughout the mission I will examine the long-term effects of zero gravity as both a test subject and a physician. My findings will undoubtedly contribute to the future understanding of space station living." He returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-15 in November 2009.
During the ISS 20/21 flight, he was visited by two other Canadians: Julie Payette
(Space Shuttle Endeavour STS 127) and space tourist Guy Laliberté
on Soyuz TMA-16
at the end of September 2009. The meeting between Thirsk and Payette in July 2009 was the first time two Canadians met in space. He and the Soyuz TMA-15 crew returned to earth December 1, 2009.
On October 25, 2010, Thirsk announced his retirement from the Canadian Astronaut Corps
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight (187 days 20 hours) and the most time spent in space (204 days 18 hours).
Personal life
Thirsk is from New Westminster, British ColumbiaNew Westminster, British Columbia
New Westminster is an historically important city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and is a member municipality of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
and is married to Brenda Biasutti of Montreal, Quebec. They have three children. He enjoys spending time with his family as well as flying
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, and playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
.
He is a member of the Professional Engineers Ontario
Professional Engineers Ontario
Professional Engineers Ontario, PEO, is the self-regulatory body that governs Ontario's 73,000 professional engineers, and sets standards for and regulates engineering practice in the province. It has a statutory mandate under the Professional Engineers Act of Ontario to protect the public interest...
, the College of Family Physicians of Canada
College of Family Physicians Canada
The College of Family Physicians of Canada is a professional association and the legal certifying body for family medicine in Canada. This national organization of family physicians was founded in 1954 and currently numbers over 25,000 members....
, the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, the Aerospace Medical Association
Aerospace Medical Association
The Aerospace Medical Association is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medicine specialists, scientists, flight nurses, physiologists, and researchers from all over the world.-...
, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is the governing body for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as:...
. He is also a director of the Canadian Foundation for the International Space University
International Space University
The International Space University is a private university founded in 1987. The University currently offers three degree granting programs — Master of Science in Space Management, Master of Science in Space Studies and Executive MBA — in addition to a non-degree-granting Space Studies Program.The...
.
He won the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta Gold Medal in 1976 and was the first recipient of the University of Calgary Distinguished Alumni Award (1985). In 1997, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and was awarded honorary membership in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
Education
He attended primary and secondary schools in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, graduating from Calgary's Lord Beaverbrook High School
Lord Beaverbrook High School
Lord Beaverbrook High School or LBHS is a high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada founded in 1967. It is operated by the Calgary Board of Education.-Notable alumni:*Don Cairns, former National Hockey League player....
. His post-secondary education began with receiving a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 1976, and continued with a master of science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1978, an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1982, and his M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan School of Management
The MIT Sloan School of Management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
in 1998 as a Sloan Fellow
Sloan Fellows
The Sloan Fellows program is a mid-career master's degree in general management and leadership supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. It is targeted at experienced managers who have already demonstrated a significant degree of career success . Alfred P...
. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Calgary while on orbit on July 8, 2009. Fellow ISS crewmember Koichi Wakata
Koichi Wakata
is a Japanese engineer and a JAXA astronaut. Wakata is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle missions and a long-duration stay on the International Space Station. During a nearly two decade career in spaceflight he has logged five months in space. Wakata is currently assigned to the Soyuz...
had the honor of placing the convocation cape on Thirsk, which was later removed due to it constantly floating up to his face. This event made Thirsk the first person ever to receive a university degree from space.
CSA career
Thirsk was in the family medicineFamily medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
residency program at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital or Queen Elizabeth's Hospital can refer to one of several institutions named after Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II or Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother:Australia*Queen Elizabeth Hospital, AdelaideBarbados...
in Montreal when he was selected in December 1983 by the National Research Council of Canada
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
to join the Canadian astronaut program. He began astronaut training in February 1984 and served as backup payload specialist to Marc Garneau
Marc Garneau
Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
for space shuttle mission STS-41-G
STS-41-G
STS 41-G was the 13th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the sixth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. Challenger launched on 5 October 1984, and conducted the second shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center on 13 October...
, which flew October 5 to 13, 1984. He has participated in several parabolic flight experiment campaigns on board NASA’s KC-135 aircraft and has been involved in various projects relating to space medicine
Space medicine
Space medicine is the practice of medicine on astronauts in outer space whereas astronautical hygiene is the application of science and technology to the prevention or control of exposure to the hazards that may cause astronaut ill health. Both these sciences work together to ensure that...
, the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
, mission planning, and education with the Canadian Space Agency. He led an international research team investigating the effect of weightlessness on the heart and blood vessels. His team designed and tested an experimental “anti-gravity suit” that may help astronauts withstand the effects of extended spaceflight on the cardiovascular system.
He served as Chief Astronaut of the Canadian Space Agency in 1993 and 1994. In February 1994, he was crew commander for the CAPSULS mission, a simulated 7-day space mission that involved the participation of several international investigators and three other Canadian astronauts. In 1994-95, Thirsk completed a sabbatical year in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. During this year, he upgraded his skills in clinical practice, space medicine research and Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
training.
On June 20, 1996, Thirsk flew aboard space shuttle mission STS-78
STS-78
STS-78 was the fifth dedicated Life and Microgravity Spacelab mission for the Space Shuttle program, flown partly in preparation for the International Space Station project...
(the life and microgravity Spacelab
Spacelab
Spacelab was a reusable laboratory used on certain spaceflights flown by the Space Shuttle. The laboratory consisted of multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier and other related hardware housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay...
mission) as a payload specialist. During this 17-day flight aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
, he and his six crew mates performed 43 experiments devoted to the study of life and materials science
Materials science
Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
. Most of these experiments were conducted within the pressurized Spacelab laboratory module situated in the orbiter’s payload bay. The life science experiments investigated changes in plants, animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s and humans under spaceflight conditions. The materials science experiments examined protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
crystallization, fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics
In physics, fluid dynamics is a sub-discipline of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid flow—the natural science of fluids in motion. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics...
and high-temperature solidification of multi-phase materials in microgravity.
While on STS-78, Thirsk wrote two columns for the Calgary Sun
Calgary Sun
The Calgary Sun is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.First published in 1980, the tabloid-format daily replaced the long-running broadsheet newspaper, The Albertan soon after it was acquired by the publishers of the Toronto...
newspaper. This was the first occasion in which an astronaut wrote and filed a story to a newspaper—and had it published—while the astronaut was still in orbit.
In 1998, Thirsk was assigned by the Canadian Space Agency to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to pursue mission specialist training. This training program involves advanced instruction on both shuttle and space station systems, EVA (spacewalking), robotic operations, and Russian language. Within the NASA Astronaut Office, Dr. Thirsk served as a CapCom (capsule communicator) for the International Space Station (ISS) program. CapComs participate in actual and simulated space missions as a communication link between the ground team at Mission Control and the astronauts in orbit. CapComs speak directly with the space station crew, and assist with technical planning for the mission and last-minute troubleshooting.
In October 2004, Thirsk served as the commander of the NEEMO 7 mission aboard the Aquarius
Aquarius (laboratory)
The NOAA Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, adjacent to Conch Reef. It is one of the few underwater research facilities in the world dedicated to science...
underwater laboratory
Underwater habitat
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping...
, living and working underwater for eleven days. As a back-up crewmember, Thirsk replaced fellow CSA astronaut Dafydd Williams
Dafydd Williams
Dafydd Rhys "Dave" Williams is a Canadian physician and a retired CSA astronaut. He had two spaceflights, both of which were Space Shuttle missions. His first spaceflight, STS-90 in 1998, was a 16-day mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia dedicated to neuroscience research...
, who had previously served as an aquanaut
Aquanaut
An Aquanaut is any individual who remains underwater, exposed to the ambient pressure, long enough to come into equilibrium with his or her breathing media. Usually this is done in an underwater habitat on the seafloor for a period equal to or greater than 24 continuous hours without returning to...
on the NEEMO 1 mission, due to Williams undergoing review of a temporary medical issue. Williams eventually served as the commander of NEEMO 9 in April 2006.
In 2004, Thirsk trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow and became certified as a Flight Engineer for the Soyuz spacecraft. He served as backup Flight Engineer to European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Roberto Vittori
Roberto Vittori
Roberto Vittori is an Italian air force officer and an ESA astronaut. After graduating from the Italian Air Force Academy in 1989, Vittori flew in the Italian Air Force. He then trained as a test pilot in the United States....
for the Soyuz TMA-6
Soyuz TMA-6
Soyuz TMA-6 was a Soyuz mission to the International Space Station launched by a Soyuz-FG launch vehicle.-Crew:-Docking with ISS:*Docked to ISS: April 17, 2005, 02:20 UTC...
taxi mission to the ISS in April 2005. During the ten-day mission, Thirsk worked as Crew Interface Coordinator (European CapCom) at the Columbus Control Centre in Germany.
Thirsk was a member of the Expedition 21
Expedition 21
Expedition 21 was the 21st long-duration mission to the International Space Station . The expedition began on 30 September 2009, with Frank de Winne becoming the first ESA astronaut to command a space mission....
crew on the International Space Station. He launched as a Flight Engineer on the Soyuz TMA-15
Soyuz TMA-15
Soyuz TMA-15 was a manned spaceflight to the International Space Station. Part of the Soyuz programme, it transported three members of the Expedition 20 crew to the space station. TMA-15 was the 102nd manned flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, since Soyuz 1 in 1967. The Soyuz spacecraft remain docked to...
Soyuz mission on May 27, 2009, as a member of the Expedition 20
Expedition 20
Expedition 20 was the twentieth long-duration flight to the International Space Station. The expedition marked the first time a six-member crew inhabited the station...
crew. He was the first Canadian astronaut to fly on a Soyuz. About this mission, Thirsk is quoted saying "It will be the supreme thrill of my life. Throughout the mission I will examine the long-term effects of zero gravity as both a test subject and a physician. My findings will undoubtedly contribute to the future understanding of space station living." He returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-15 in November 2009.
During the ISS 20/21 flight, he was visited by two other Canadians: Julie Payette
Julie Payette
Julie Payette, OC, CQ is a Canadian engineer and a Canadian Space Agency astronaut. Payette has completed two spaceflights, STS-96 and STS-127, logging more than 25 days in space...
(Space Shuttle Endeavour STS 127) and space tourist Guy Laliberté
Guy Laliberté
Guy Laliberté, OC, CQ is a Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, poker player, space tourist and the current CEO of Cirque du Soleil...
on Soyuz TMA-16
Soyuz TMA-16
The Soyuz TMA-16 was a manned flight to and from the International Space Station . It transported two members of the Expedition 21 crew and a Canadian entrepreneur from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the ISS. TMA-16 was the 103rd flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, the first flight launching...
at the end of September 2009. The meeting between Thirsk and Payette in July 2009 was the first time two Canadians met in space. He and the Soyuz TMA-15 crew returned to earth December 1, 2009.
On October 25, 2010, Thirsk announced his retirement from the Canadian Astronaut Corps
Canadian Astronaut Corps
The Canadian Astronaut Corps is a unit of the Canadian Space Agency that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members for U.S...
.
External links
- Canadian Space Agency Official Biography
- Biography at NASA
- Spacefacts biography of Robert Thirsk
- Doctor Profile for Robert Thirsk (College of Physicians and Surgeons of OntarioCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of OntarioThe College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is the governing body for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as:...
)