Mark Kelly Of West Orange Joins Astronaut Hall Of Fame

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange native Mark Kelly recently nailed down one of the highest honors a spacewalker can earn: a spot in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was spearheaded more than 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. In November 2016, a new U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, as part of the Heroes & Legends attraction.

Each year, inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

Kelly will join more than 100 people who have earned a plaque on the wall. Roy Bridges, a pilot, test pilot and astronaut, was also announced as an inductee this year.

An official ceremony and gala will take place at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on May 6

Kelly – who currently serves as a U.S. senator in Arizona and is married to former congresswoman Gabby Giffords – will be reuniting with his own family during the weekend when he celebrates with his identical twin brother, Scott, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame with the class of 2020. Read More: West Orange Man Breaks USA Record For Days In Space (VIDEO)

The brothers will be the first pair of siblings and the first set of identical twins to hold a place in the esteemed group. Kelly will also be the second sitting senator to be inducted, following John Glenn’s placement in 1990.

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“Both Kelly and Bridges represent the committed spirit of exploration, bravery and teamwork that make our space program a continued success,” said Curt Brown, board chair of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

“We are proud and honored to have them join the ranks of the space pioneers recognized in the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame,” Brown said.

MARK KELLY: FROM NASA TO CONGRESS

The hall provided the following background information about Kelly’s career as a pilot and astronaut:

“Mark Kelly (Captain, USN, ret.) has served as a U.S. Navy combat pilot, a NASA astronaut, and is now serving as a U.S. Senator for Arizona.

“Kelly earned his bachelor’s degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and later a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

“As a Navy pilot, he made multiple deployments aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft and has over 375 carrier landings. Kelly retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain.

“In 1996, he was selected as an astronaut in the same NASA class as his identical twin brother, Scott. Kelly’s first of four trips into space were as pilot of STS-108 in December 2001, during which he helped deliver equipment, supplies and additional crew members to the ISS. He then served as pilot of STS-121 aboard Discovery, the second “Return to Flight” mission following the loss of Columbia in February 2003. STS-124, also aboard Discovery, in May of 2008 was Kelly’s first mission as commander. Kelly and his crew delivered the pressurized module for the Japanese Lab to the ISS.

“He retired from NASA in 2011 after commanding space shuttle Endeavour on its final flight, STS-134, which delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the ISS. Kelly has spent more than 50 days in space – traveling over 20 million miles.

“As U.S. Senator for Arizona, he serves as chair of the Airland subcommittee on Senate Armed Services, which oversees the Army and Air Force planning, operations and programs. He also sits on the Environment and Public Works and the Energy and Natural Resources Committees.

Senator Kelly is the recipient of two Defense Superior Service Medals, Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and multiple Air Medals. He lives in Tucson with his wife, former Congresswoman, Gabby Giffords. Kelly has two daughters, Claire, a graduate of Arizona State University, and Claudia who lives in Tucson, is a student at the University of Arizona and is the mother of Kelly’s two-year-old granddaughter, Sage.”

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