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| Astronaut Pedro Duque named Spain's science minister | Astronaut Pedro Duque named Spain's science minister |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Spain's first astronaut, Pedro Duque, has been named minister of science by the country's new Socialist government. | Spain's first astronaut, Pedro Duque, has been named minister of science by the country's new Socialist government. |
| Prime Minister and self-labelled feminist Pedro Sánchez is expected to appoint a women-majority cabinet, in contrast to the male-dominated executives of ousted PM Mariano Rajoy. | Prime Minister and self-labelled feminist Pedro Sánchez is expected to appoint a women-majority cabinet, in contrast to the male-dominated executives of ousted PM Mariano Rajoy. |
| Women will take the deputy premiership, and the economy and finance portfolios. | Women will take the deputy premiership, and the economy and finance portfolios. |
| Mr Duque, 55, last went to space in 2003 as part of an International Space Station (ISS) mission. | Mr Duque, 55, last went to space in 2003 as part of an International Space Station (ISS) mission. |
| An aeronautical engineer with three children, he is reportedly prone to quoting the late British science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke. | |
| Mr Duque was selected by the European Space Agency's astronaut corps in 1992 and became the first Spaniard to travel to space in 1998, when he joined Nasa's STS-95 mission from Cape Canaveral. Mr Duque served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on the nine-day mission. | Mr Duque was selected by the European Space Agency's astronaut corps in 1992 and became the first Spaniard to travel to space in 1998, when he joined Nasa's STS-95 mission from Cape Canaveral. Mr Duque served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on the nine-day mission. |
| He and three other STS-95 crew members were awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for international cooperation in 1999, which called them "the architects of the pacific exploration of the universe". | He and three other STS-95 crew members were awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for international cooperation in 1999, which called them "the architects of the pacific exploration of the universe". |
| In 2003, he took part in the 10-day Cervantes ISS mission as a flight engineer on the Russian Soyuz-TMA. | In 2003, he took part in the 10-day Cervantes ISS mission as a flight engineer on the Russian Soyuz-TMA. |
| From 2011 he headed the ESA's Flight Operations Office in Munich, Germany, and in 2015 "returned to astronaut duties and full flight status", according to a profile on the ESA website. | From 2011 he headed the ESA's Flight Operations Office in Munich, Germany, and in 2015 "returned to astronaut duties and full flight status", according to a profile on the ESA website. |
| His official title will be minister of science, innovation and universities, El País newspaper reports. | His official title will be minister of science, innovation and universities, El País newspaper reports. |
| Mr Sanchez has not officially announced the full cabinet but key names have been widely reported by Spanish media. They include: | Mr Sanchez has not officially announced the full cabinet but key names have been widely reported by Spanish media. They include: |
| Conservative Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy, who took office in 2011, was ousted as PM last week after losing a no-confidence motion in parliament. | Conservative Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy, who took office in 2011, was ousted as PM last week after losing a no-confidence motion in parliament. |
| Mr Sanchez won the support of six other parties to remove Mr Rajoy over a massive corruption scandal. His party only has a quarter of the seats in parliament. | Mr Sanchez won the support of six other parties to remove Mr Rajoy over a massive corruption scandal. His party only has a quarter of the seats in parliament. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Rajoy, 63, said he planned to leave the political scene, saying "there are other things to do in life than dedicate oneself to politics". | On Wednesday, Mr Rajoy, 63, said he planned to leave the political scene, saying "there are other things to do in life than dedicate oneself to politics". |
| He added: "I had an enormously intense political life and I think it makes no sense to stay longer here." | He added: "I had an enormously intense political life and I think it makes no sense to stay longer here." |