September 30

Born in Orkney, Scotland, Rae studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh before joining the Hudson’s Bay Company. He led several expeditions into the Canadian Arctic, mapping uncharted territory and discovering the Rae Strait. Rae reported on the fate of Franklin’s lost expedition, based on Inuit testimony and artifacts. He earned respect for his survival skills and diplomatic relations with indigenous peoples. Despite his groundbreaking discoveries, controversies arose over his Franklin reports. His contributions were pivotal in completing the map of the Northwest Passage.

Michel Tognini earned his wings in the French Air Force before being selected by the European Space Agency in 1985. He served as pilot on Soyuz TM-15 for a mission to the Mir space station in 1992 and later commanded STS-93 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999. During his flights, he conducted scientific experiments and participated in extravehicular activities. After retiring from active flight, Tognini served as Director of Space Exploration at CNES and head of the European Astronaut Centre. His multifaceted career spans military service, engineering, and pioneering space exploration.