ASTRONAUT

Mike Melvill

1940 - Today

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Michael Winston Melvill (born November 30, 1940, in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a world-record-breaking pilot and one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut, and the 435th person to go into space. He was also the pilot on SpaceShipOne's flight 16P, the first competitive flight in the Ansari X Prize competition. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Mike Melvill is the 355th most popular astronaut (down from 334th in 2019), the 223rd most popular biography from South Africa and the most popular South African Astronaut.

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Among ASTRONAUTS

Among astronauts, Mike Melvill ranks 355 out of 556. Before him are Naoko Yamazaki, Reinhold Ewald, Steven Lindsey, Zhai Zhigang, Jerome Apt, and Michael Foale. After him are Helen Sharman, Charles L. Veach, Guy Gardner, Michael R. Clifford, Christopher Ferguson, and Janet L. Kavandi.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1940, Mike Melvill ranks 583. Before him are Fontella Bass, William Ferguson, Peter Ryan, Ellie Greenwich, Otacílio Gonçalves, and István Timár. After him are Carole Ann Ford, Tony Bill, John Hagee, Bill Hunter, Terry Dischinger, and Penelope Coelen.

Others Born in 1940

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In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Mike Melvill ranks 223 out of 454. Before him are Charlbi Dean (1990), William Ferguson (1940), Sid James (1913), Steven Pienaar (1982), Yolandi Visser (1984), and Candice Swanepoel (1988). After him are Benni McCarthy (1977), Beyers Naudé (1915), Adam Rose (1979), Jerome Damon (1972), Lillian Board (1948), and Louis Hayward (1909).

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Among ASTRONAUTS In South Africa

Among astronauts born in South Africa, Mike Melvill ranks 1. 

South African born Astronauts

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