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Veteran
NASA Astronauts Michael Foale and
Ellen
Ochoa Inducted into U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®
at
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
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Cape
Canaveral, FL – May 2017 / Newsmaker Alert / In a ceremony Friday (May
19), set beneath Space Shuttle Atlantis® at Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex, two veteran astronauts were inducted
into the U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame®. Michael Foale and Ellen Ochoa, each a
legend in his and her own right, joined the ranks of 93 prestigious American
space heroes who have received the same honor.
The
location of the ceremony held special significance, as both inductees have
served missions aboard the storied space shuttle Atlantis. Foale and Ochoa
make up the 16th group of space shuttle astronauts to be inducted into
the Hall of Fame, and their addition to the group brings the total number
of inductees to 95.
Both
have had illustrious careers centered around their love of space and science:
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Foale
was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1987 and later was named mission
specialist on three of his six space shuttle missions. He has become the
only American citizen to have served on both Mir and the International
Space Station (ISS). During his NASA career, Foale became Chief of the
Soyuz Branch at Johnson Space Center supporting Soyuz and International
Space Station operations.
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Ochoa
has achieved two major firsts for the Hispanic community: she was the first
Hispanic woman to go to space, the first Hispanic director of Johnson Space
Center and is now the first Hispanic woman to be inducted into the U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame. She currently serves as the 11th director of the
Johnson Space Center. After becoming a United States astronaut in 1991,
Ochoa served as a mission specialist on four space shuttle flights and
as payload commander on one of those missions. She also has operated the
Remote Manipulator System (RMS) three times in her career, once for an
eight-hour spacewalk.
More than
20 legendary astronauts were on hand to welcome the inductees, including:
Robert Cabana, Dan Brandenstein, Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Karol “Bo” Bobko,
Brian Duffy, Scott Altman, Michael Bloomfield, Charles Bolden, Ken Bowersox,
Curtis Brown, Michael Coats, Robert Crippen, Sam Durrance, Robert Gibson,
Fred Gregory, Rhea Seddon, Brewster Shaw, Loren Shriver, Kathryn Thornton,
and James Wetherbee.
The
U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was spearheaded more than 30 years ago by the
founders of the Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation, the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts, with
the goal of helping university students pursue their dreams in science,
technology, engineering and math. Since that time, the Foundation has awarded
more than $4 million in merit-based scholarships to more than 400 brilliant
students. In November 2016, a new U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened at
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, as part of the new Heroes
& Legends attraction.
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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 its newest attraction, Heroes & Legends, featuring
the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, which opened
November 11, 2016. Other highlights include 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,
Cosmic Quest, and many other exhibits. 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 $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax
for children ages 3 – 11. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers annual
passes starting at $75 + tax for adults and $60 + 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
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,
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 thousands of employee
associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a
time in serving more than 500 million guests annually. Delaware North has
annual revenue of about $3 billion in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurants
and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries.
Learn more about Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food
service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.
Connect
with Delaware North on Facebook
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Media
Contacts:
Lauren
Walbert
Sandy
Hillman Communications
Office:
410-616-8943
Mobile:
443-683-0294
Rebecca
Shireman
Assistant
Public Relations Manager
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
321-449-4273
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