Astronaut Mark Kelly Announces Retirement

Astronaut and Navy Captain Mark Kelly, a West Orange native, announced his retirement from NASA and the U.S. Navy on his Facebook pageTuesday morning.  

Kelly said the decision was "not an easy" one after having dedicated 25 years to both the Navy and NASA.  In a Facebook note, Kelly wrote that his decision was heavily influenced by his desire to be with his wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz), who is recovering after suffering gunshots wounds to the head in a January incident in Arizona that killed six. 

"Gabrielle is working hard every day on her mission of recovery. I want to be by her side," wrote Kelly. He will retire Oct. 1. 

He said though, after retirement, he hopes to find new ways to once again serve his country. 

Kelly recently returned from the space shuttle

Kelly is a 1982 Mountain High School graduate and a former West Orange First Aid Squad volunteer. His parents, Richard and Patricia, retired from the West Orange Police Department more than 10 years ago. Kelly joined NASA in April 1996. His twin bother, Scott will remain at NASA.