ASTRONAUT TRAINING CENTER
The staff of Aurora Aeromedical Services is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of training and ensuring that your experience is both rewarding and safe. Our staff has a combined experience of over 40 years in education, medicine, and aviation. They will brief you thoroughly before any activity so that you can obtain the maximum benefit from your experience. They have a passion for space and aviation and want to share it with you!
Howard Chipman MD
Dr. Chipman is a board certified Emergency Physician with over 20 years experience in the field. He is also our chief pilot and has 30 years flying experience. He is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFII) and has Commercial, Multi-Engine, Glider, Instrument and L-39 Jet Ratings. He has operated Air Ambulance Services for 20 years and has gained valuable experience in Aerospace Medicine. He has received Cosmonaut training in Russia and studied spacecraft design with the ESA. He currently holds the rank of Major in the Civil Air Patrol.
You will fly with him in the L-39 Jet and Zero-G flights and since he is a flight instructor, you will have the opportunity to operate the aircraft controls and log your flight in a logbook as flight instruction. As Aurora's Chief Medical Officer, he will also ensure that all participants have a safe and comfortable experience, and will perform all medical certifications. If you have any questions, you can email him directly at: howardchipman@sprintmail.com
Veronique Koken-Balsa MS
Ms Koken-Balsa has a Masters degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle University and is a University Professor of Mathematics. Her expertise is in teaching and public speaking. She has a dynamic personality and is skilled at explaining technical matters in an enjoyable and understandable way. She has also taught at NASA and with the Civil Air Patrol as an Aerospace Education Officer.
She will teach many of your briefings and will be available to answer your questions. She is multi-lingual and speaks 5 languages which is very helpful for our many international guests. She was recently named as an astronaut crewmember for the "Americans in Orbit 50 Years" program and aims to be Brazil's first female astronaut. If you have any questions for Veronique, email her directly at: queenconchvk@yahoo.com
Brian Walker is an inventor who designed and built much of our training equipment. He is famous as the "Rocket Guy" who started his own space program in his backyard and most certainly was the inspiration for the "Astronaut Farmer" movie. He has designed many things including a submarine, hovercraft, rockets and launch systems, firefighting water cannons, educational toys and more. Brian lends us his expertise and innovative design ability. He also inspires us to do the things that we think we cannot do and to think "outside the box". Brian also is available as a visiting instructor for our programs.
Nick Weber is an EMT who assists Aurora Aerospace with the ground training and medical certifications. He is trained to operate the centrifuge, "MAD" machine and spacecraft simulator. He recently finished his firefighter training and finished 2nd in his class- congratulations Nick!