On Dec. 9, 2006, the first-ever Swedish astronaut launched to the International Space Station. [‘On This Day in Space’ Video Series on Space.com](https://www.space.com/39251-on-this-day-in-space.html)
Arne Christer Fuglesang flew on the space shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist for mission STS-116. Fuglesang was a physicist and a professor before he was selected to join the European Astronaut Corps in 1992. He trained for 14 years before making his first spaceflight on STS-116, during which he spent 13 days in space. The purpose of the mission was to deliver and attach the International Space Station's P5 truss segment and rewire the station's power system.
