Edward Tsang Lu
Edward Tsang Lu is an American physicist, former NASA astronaut, and asteroid-defense advocate. His career moves from solar physics and shuttle operations to long-duration ISS flight and later planetary-defense work through the B612 Foundation.
- Born
- July 1, 1963
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Springfield, Massachusetts,United States
Flights
3
Spacewalks
1
EVA time
6 hours, 14 minutes
In space
205 days, 23 hours, 18 minutes
Bio
Lu studied electrical engineering at Cornell University and earned a doctorate in applied physics from Stanford University. Before becoming an astronaut, he worked in solar physics, astrophysics, and theoretical research.
NASA selected Lu with Astronaut Group 15 in 1994. He flew STS-84 to Mir, STS-106 to the International , and Soyuz TMA-2 for 7, giving him experience in both shuttle and Soyuz station operations.
On STS-106, Lu performed an with Yuri Malenchenko to prepare the ISS for its first permanent crew. During Expedition 7, he lived aboard the station during the post-Columbia period when crew transport and station logistics were constrained.
After NASA, Lu helped lead the B612 Foundation and Asteroid Institute, advocating for asteroid detection and deflection concepts including the gravitational tractor idea.