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U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame®
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Welcome James F. Buchli and Janet Kavandi
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Space
Shuttle Astronauts to be Inducted at
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Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex in April 2019
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Cape
Canaveral, FL – January 2019 / Newsmaker Alert / Veteran
astronauts James F. Buchli and Janet Kavandi, who have both 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. This April, they will be inducted into the United
States Astronaut Hall of Fame® located at Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex, to become two of only 99 individuals
to ever receive this esteemed honor. The official announcement was made
by the Astronaut Scholarship
Foundation, which oversees the selection process.
An
official ceremony and gala will take place at Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex on April 6, 2019. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the majestic
Space Shuttle Atlantis®, the ceremony will be attended by a roster
of astronaut legends. Later that evening, the newest Hall of Fame members
will be celebrated at a black-tie event hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship
Foundation.
“Courage,
dedication and passion are qualities that define true American heroes,
and both Buchli and Kavandi possess them,” said Brown. “It’s an honor to
be associated with individuals who are so dedicated to NASA’s mission and
who share our goal to learn more and go further. We are delighted to be
adding James and Janet to the elite group of men and women who have been
inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.”
James
F. Buchli, STS-48, STS-61-A, STS-51-C, STS-29
An
accomplished fighter pilot who dedicated 25 years to military service,
retired USMC Colonel James F. Buchli became a NASA astronaut in 1979. His
considerable experience includes a career 4,200 hours of flying time, 4,000
of which were in jet aircraft. He was a member of the support crew for
STS-1 and STS-2, and On-Orbit CAPCOM for STS-2. A veteran of four space
flights, Buchli has orbited the earth 319 times, traveling 7.74 million
miles in 20 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes, 32 seconds. He served as a mission
specialist on STS-51C Discovery (1985), which was the first dedicated Department
of Defense mission; on STS-61A Challenger (1985), which was the first to
carry eight crew members, the largest crew to fly in space, and the first
in which payload activities were controlled from outside the United States;
STS-29 Discovery (1989), a highly successful mission during which the crew
deployed a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, performed numerous secondary
experiments and took more than 3,000 photographs of the earth; and STS-48
Discovery (1991), a five-day mission during which the crew deployed the
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) designed to provide scientists
with their first complete data set on the upper atmosphere’s chemistry,
winds and energy inputs. From March 1989 through May 1992 he also served
as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. In the fall of 1992, Buchli retired
from the U.S. Marine Corps and the NASA Astronaut Office and spent the
next 25 years working with Boeing Defense Space Group. He currently serves
as the Operations & Utilization Manager for Space Station, Boeing Defense
and Space Group in Houston, Texas.
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Janet
L. Kavandi, STS-91, STS-99, STS-104
Janet
Kavandi was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 as a member of
the 15th class of U.S. astronauts. During her time in the Astronaut Office,
she supported ISS payload integration, capsule communications, robotics,
and served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. She is a veteran of
three space flights, serving as a mission specialist on STS-91 (1998),
STS-99 (2000), and STS-104 (2001). Kavandi has logged more than 33 days
in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits. She
moved on to work at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she served
as the Director of Flight Crew Operations, responsible for the Astronaut
Corps and aircraft operations at Ellington Field. Janet also served as
the deputy director of the Health and Human Performance Directorate, responsible
for the NASA flight surgeons and human research investigations on the International
Space Station (ISS). Currently, she is the Director of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
Her work has been recognized with a Presidential Rank Award, two NASA Outstanding
Leadership Medals, two Exceptional Service Medals and three NASA Space
Flight Medals.
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.
U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Process and Eligibility
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
17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a
NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the
earth at least once.
About
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S.
space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational
activities, including the new Astronaut Training Experience®, which
opened in February 2018, as well as Heroes & Legends, featuring the
U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, the Kennedy Space
Center Tour featuring the Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn
V moon rocket, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Shuttle Launch Experience®,
IMAX® A Beautiful Planet 3D and Journey To Space 3D films, Astronaut
Encounter, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, Science on a Sphere®,
Rocket Garden, and Cosmic Quest. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying
by season. Admission is $57 + tax for adults and $47 + tax for children
ages 3 – 11. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers annual passes
starting at $82 + tax for adults and $67 + tax for children ages 3 – 11.
For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
Follow
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Facebook,
Twitter,
YouTube,
Instagram,
Google+
and
Pinterest
About
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF)
The
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
(ASF) participated in creating a venue where space travelers could be remembered
– the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which opened in 1990. Today, the foundation
serves as a consultant for the Hall of Fame, which includes conducting
the selection process of astronauts for enshrinement by an outside committee.
The Foundation's mission is to aid the U.S. in retaining its world leadership
in science and technology by providing scholarships to extraordinary college
students who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance
in these fields, and facilitate programs to educate the public about the
impact and importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
education in the United States. ASF has awarded almost $5 million to outstanding
Astronaut Scholars nationwide with support from astronauts from the Mercury,
Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs who participate
in this educational endeavor. For more information, visit www.AstronautScholarship.org.
About
Delaware North
Delaware
North is one of the largest privately held hospitality and food service
companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family
for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile
places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks,
destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our
55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences
one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually.
Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and
catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has
annual revenue of about $3 billion. Learn more about Delaware North, a
global leader in hospitality and food service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.
Connect
with Delaware North on Facebook
/ LinkedIn
/ Twitter
Media
Contacts:
Lauren
Eisele Walbert
Sandy
Hillman Communications
410-616-8943
Rebecca
Shireman
Manager
of Communications & Public Relations
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
321-449-4273
or 321-213-5926
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