U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame to Welcome Two Veteran NASA Astronauts to 2023 Class of Honorees
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, located at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, will add two new plaques to its walls this year. Veteran astronauts Roy Bridges and Mark Kelly, who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in furthering NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery, have been selected to receive one of the highest honors in their industry. The announcement was made by Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which stewards the selection process.
Roy Bridges will be coming home to his Kennedy Space Center family, where he served as Center Director from 1997 to 2003. Mark Kelly 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. This will be the first pair of siblings and the first set of identical twins to both hold a place in the esteemed group.
“This year’s class is another example of excellence from our space program," said Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. “The Hall of Fame has inducted 105 individuals with this honor; this year's nominees are perfect examples of the accomplished individuals who are inducted each year. Both Kelly and Bridges represent the committed spirit of exploration, bravery and teamwork that make our space program a continued success. We are proud and honored to have them join the ranks of the space pioneers recognized in the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.”
An official ceremony and gala will take place at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on May 6, 2023. Set against the historic and stunning backdrop of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the ceremony will be attended by a number of astronaut legends. Following the induction, the newest Hall of Fame members will be celebrated at an evening black-tie event hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
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. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 15 years before the induction. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and either a NASA-trained Space Shuttle Commander (CDR), Pilot (PLT), Mission Specialist (MS), or an International Space Station (ISS) Commander (CDR) or Flight Engineer (FE) who has orbited the earth at least once and whose last day eligible for flight assignment as a NASA astronaut was at least five years prior to nomination.
PHOTO: © Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. All Rights Reserved.
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