Spain's First Astronaut Pedro Duque Named IEEE Honorary Member

IEEE Honors Pedro Duque

Pedro Duque, known as Spain's first astronaut, has been designated an IEEE honorary member. The IEEE Board of Directors conferred this honor for his contributions to space exploration, his leadership in collaborative science and technology programs, and his role as an inspiration for younger generations.

Duque, who flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station, currently serves as the chairman of HispaSat, a Spanish satellite company. He previously headed Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities after retiring as an astronaut.

Recognition and Background

The award ceremony took place on April 24 in New York City, though Duque expressed his gratitude in recorded remarks. He acknowledged the IEEE as the largest and most important engineering society globally, expressing honor to join an organization focused on fostering technological innovation.

Duque's interest in space began at age six, inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing. He pursued aeronautics, influenced by his father, an air traffic controller. His dream of becoming an astronaut was initially challenging due to Spain's lack of a space program under Francisco Franco, a situation that changed after Franco's death in 1975 when Spain began participating in R&D programs.