Lodewijk van den Berg
Lodewijk van den Berg was a Dutch-born American chemical engineer, crystal-growth researcher, and shuttle . He flew on STS-51-B in 1985 as one of the scientists operating Spacelab research payloads aboard Challenger.
- Born
- March 24, 1932
- Died
- October 16, 2022
- Birthplace
- Sluiskil, Netherlands,Kingdom of the Netherlands
Flights
1
Spacewalks
0
EVA time
N/A
In space
7 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes
Bio
Van den Berg specialized in crystal growth and materials processing. His selection reflected the shuttle program's hope that researchers with direct laboratory expertise could operate experiments in orbit.
His only spaceflight was STS-51-B, a Spacelab mission focused on materials science, life science, fluid physics, and other microgravity experiments. Van den Berg supported crystal-growth investigations connected to his professional work.
Although born in the Netherlands, he was a naturalized American citizen when he flew. His career sits at the intersection of American shuttle history, Dutch spaceflight heritage, and the scientific payload-specialist program.
After his flight, he continued technical work in crystal growth and related research. His mission is part of the broader story of Spacelab as a bridge between laboratory science and crewed orbital operations.