Andrew "Andy" Sydney Withiel Thomas (born 18 December 1951 in Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian-born American aerospace engineer and a NASA astronaut. He became a U.S. citizen in December 1986, hoping to gain entry to NASA's astronaut program. He is married to NASA astronaut Shannon Walker.
Educated at St Andrews School and St Peter's College, Adelaide before receiving a bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical engineering (with Fir...
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Andrew "Andy" Sydney Withiel Thomas (born 18 December 1951 in Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian-born American aerospace engineer and a NASA astronaut. He became a U.S. citizen in December 1986, hoping to gain entry to NASA's astronaut program. He is married to NASA astronaut Shannon Walker.
Educated at St Andrews School and St Peter's College, Adelaide before receiving a bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical engineering (with First Class honors) from the University of Adelaide in 1973. He completed a doctorate in the same subject at the University of Adelaide in 1978.
He appears in the 1972 edition of the Adelaide University Engineering Society's annual publication, Hysteresis. The caption below a photograph of the young Thomas reads:
"A.S.W. (Syd) Thomas: Hides his massive intellect behind a screen of silence and hair. His abilities are varied and include designing wine labels for the A.U.E.S."
– Hysteresis 1972, pg 27
As a child, Thomas was fascinated by space. His...
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