Chino Roque

Daniel Angelo Roque (born 1991), also known as Chino Roque, is one of the 23 space cadets selected from more than 28,000 candidates by the Axe Apollo Space Academy in 2013 to fly to space with the proposed XCOR Lynx. Being the only Filipino who made it in the astronaut selection, he would be considered the first Filipino astronaut when the sub-orbital spaceflight takes place.[1][2]

Daniel Angelo Roque
Born1991
Alma materDe La Salle University
Space career
Previous occupation
CrossFit coach, student pilot
SelectionAxe Apollo Space Academy
MissionsXCOR Lynx (proposed)

Early life and career

Roque finished elementary and secondary education at De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, and obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology at De La Salle University in 2013. After graduation, he had experience as a student pilot at the Omni Aviation Corporation in Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone, Pampanga, and worked as a CrossFit coach in Taguig.[1][2]

Selection as astronaut

In 2013, after the physical and other challenges conducted by the Axe Apollo Space Academy at the Kennedy Space Center, Roque ranked fifth place in contention for being the first Filipino astronaut. He was ranked behind Evan Ray Datuin, Mario Mendoza, Jr., and Ramil Santos. However, Mendoza, a lieutenant in the Philippine Air Force, decided to drop his training in the academy to fulfill his military obligations.[3] After a series of interviews, Roque was selected as Mendoza's replacement.[1][2]

Buzz Aldrin, one of the American astronauts who conducted the first Moon landing in 1969, served as the selection committee chairman of the said program. Roque revealed that he would bring three items in the planned space flight. These are: the Filipino flag, a rosary, and a family photograph. Aldrin personally signed the photograph.[4]

While the proposed sub-orbital spaceflight was scheduled sometime between 2014 and 2015, no flight has been conducted with the proposed XCOR Lynx to date. This has been connected with the declared bankruptcy of XCOR Aerospace in 2017, the company sponsoring the vehicle to be used by the Axe Apollo Space Academy.[5] In the opinion of Barry E. Wilmore, an American astronaut who had two spaceflights, a government agreement between the Philippines and Russia may be needed to realize the dream to put a Filipino into space.[6]

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References
  1. Fernandez, Rhoel V. (December 10, 2013). "Chino Roque, first Filipino bound for space, savors 'life-changing experience'". Spin.ph. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  2. Imbong, Peter (December 6, 2013). "Chino Roque: First Filipino to go to space". Rappler. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  3. Luces, Kim (October 16, 2013). "Axe Apollo candidate drops out of program to focus on air force training". GMA News Online. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  4. Rueda, Nimfa U. (July 9, 2014). "What PH astronaut Chino Roque will bring to space". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  5. Messier, Douglas (April 20, 2018). "Bankrupt Spaceflight Company's Space Plane Assets to Help Young Minds Soar". Space.com. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  6. "NASA astronaut: Filipinos can go to space, but with Russians". The Philippine Star. August 24, 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
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