April 05

Born in 1600 in Brussels, François Caron began his career with the French East India Company before joining the Dutch East India Company, becoming one of the first Europeans to live in Japan. As an accomplished trader and diplomat, he navigated complex relations between Asian rulers and European powers. In 1659, he was appointed Governor of Formosa (modern-day Taiwan), overseeing the Dutch colonial administration and expansion of trade networks. Caron introduced administrative reforms, improved fortifications, and fostered economic development in the colony. Following his tenure in Asia, he returned to the Netherlands and served in high-ranking positions within the VOC until his death in 1673. His writings and experiences provided valuable insights into 17th-century global commerce and cross-cultural exchange.

Born in 1947, Carter earned a medical degree and served as a naval flight surgeon before pursuing professional soccer. He was selected by NASA in 1980 and flew aboard the Space Shuttle in 1989, conducting experiments in microgravity. Carter later worked in NASA's Office of Space Flight Operations, contributing to mission planning and crew training. He tragically died in an aircraft accident in 1991 while on a NASA training flight. Carter is remembered for his versatility and contributions to medicine, sports, and space exploration.

Born in 1935, Vitaly Sevastyanov graduated as an engineer before being selected as a cosmonaut in the 1960s. He flew on Soyuz 9, setting a new endurance record in 1970, and later commanded the Soyuz 18 mission to the Salyut 4 space station. His missions contributed valuable data on long-duration spaceflight and human physiology in orbit. After retiring from active flight, Sevastyanov held key positions in the Soviet space program and served in the Supreme Soviet. He passed away in 2010, remembered for advancing human space exploration.