Photo: NASA / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Thomas Reiter is the sort of CV that humbles you: astronaut, engineer, test pilot, and a Brigadier General in the German Air Force, ranked among the top 25 humans by total time in space. What strikes me most is the breadth of trust placed in him, honoured by Germany's highest orders and Russia's Order of Friendship alike, a man whose career literally bridged Cold War divides through science. Even now, working as a coordinator and advisor at the ESA, he keeps quietly serving humanity's reach into orbit. That blend of precision, courage and lifelong dedication is exactly the kind of greatness I find most worth celebrating.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Thomas Reiter
- Name (Japanese)
- トーマス・ライター
- Reading
- とーます・らいたー
- Born
- May 23, 1958 (age 68)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Dog
- Origin
- Frankfurt, Darmstadt Government Region, Germany
- Occupation
- astronaut / engineer / aircraft pilot / test pilot / military personnel
2. Background
- University
- University of the Bundeswehr Munich
Awards & achievements
- 2007 Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1996 Hessian Order of Merit
- 2008 Medal for outstanding service to Bavaria in a united Europe
- 1996 Order of Friendship
- 2011 Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"
- Lower Saxony Honorary Medal
- 2016 Aachener Ingenieurpreis
- Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Thomas Reiter born?
Born May 23, 1958 (age 68).
Where is Thomas Reiter from?
Thomas Reiter is from Frankfurt, Darmstadt Government Region, Germany.
What does Thomas Reiter do?
Thomas Reiter works as astronaut, engineer, aircraft pilot, test pilot, military personnel.
Astronaut — see all → · Engineer — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.