Norman Thagard

Norman Thagard
Born
Norman Earl Thagard

(1943-07-03) July 3, 1943 (age 81)
Marianna, U.S.
Education
Space career
NASA astronaut
RankCaptain, US Marine Corps
Time in space
140 days, 13 hours and 24 minutes
SelectionNASA Group 8 (1978)
Missions
Mission insignia
RetirementJanuary 3, 1996

Norman Earl Thagard (born July 3, 1943; Capt, USMC, Ret.) is an American scientist and former U.S. Marine Corps officer and naval aviator and NASA astronaut. He is the first American to ride to space on board a Russian vehicle, and can be considered the first American cosmonaut. He did this on March 14, 1995, in the Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft for the Russian Mir-18 mission.