Sen. Mark Kelly and former KSC head Roy Bridges named to Astronaut Hall of Fame
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The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, located at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, will hold a public ceremony on May 6 to recognize the induction of two veteran NASA astronauts, former KSC Director Roy Bridges and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly.
"This year’s class is another example of excellence from our space program," Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, said in a release. "Both Kelly and Bridges represent the committed spirit of exploration, bravery, and teamwork that make our space program a continued success."
Bridges and Kelly join just 105 other individuals in receiving the honor.
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The Hall of Fame was first spearheaded 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. Then a new Hall of Fame was opened in 2016, located inside the Heroes & Legends attraction at the Visitor Complex.
Who are Mark Kelly and Roy Bridges?
Both men served as pilots of NASA's space shuttle program. Bridges flew the space shuttle Challenger during his career, while Kelly flew the space shuttle Discovery and Endeavour.
Bridges is a retired U.S. Air Force Major General. He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1980 before serving as director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center from 1997 to 2003. He then joined Northrop Grumman as a director, where he was responsible for business with the Department of Energy before retiring in 2019.
Kelly was a U.S. Navy combat pilot before being selected for astronaut duties by NASA in 1996 in the same class as his twin brother, Scott Kelly. He would fly to space four times, spending more than 50 days there. He retired from NASA in 2011 after commanding the space shuttle Endeavour on its final flight. He retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain.
Kelly is now U.S. Senator for Arizona. He joins the Hall of Fame as the second sitting Senator to be inducted after John Glenn in 1990. Kelly also joins his brother Scott Kelly, who was inducted in 2020, making them the first pair of siblings and the only set of identical twins to hold places in the Hall of Fame.
About the Astronaut Hall of Fame selection process
Selection for induction to the Hall of Fame is determined by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists and administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Eligibility for induction is determined by a few criteria:
An astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 15 years before the induction
Must be a U.S. citizens
Must have served as a NASA-trained Space Shuttle Commander, Pilot, Mission Specialist, International Space Station Commander, or Flight Engineer
Must have orbited the earth at least once
The last day eligible for flight a NASA astronaut flight assignment was at least five years before nomination
This year's public ceremony will be held at the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction, with a black-tie evening event hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation to follow.
Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at JGroh@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Astronaut Hall of Fame to honor NASA veterans Mark Kelly, Roy Bridges
