Born on 20 August 1938 in La Rochelle, Jean-Loup Chrétien was a French Air Force fighter and test pilot who became the first French, and first Western European, citizen to fly in space. A graduate of the École de l'air (1961) who flew the Mirage III and Mirage F1 before becoming a test pilot at Istres, he was selected by CNES in 1980 for the Franco-Soviet PVH mission. On 24 June 1982 he lifted off from Baikonur aboard Soyuz T-6 and reached the Salyut 7 station. He later flew the Aragatz mission (1988) and Space Shuttle flight STS-86 (1997), staying aboard the Mir station. Promoted to brigadier general, he logged more than forty days in space.