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Veteran
NASA Astronauts Thomas D. Jones, PhD and Captain
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Scott
D. Altman Inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®
at
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Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
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Cape
Canaveral, FL – April 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Saturday (April 21),
in a ceremony set beneath space shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex, two veteran astronauts were inducted
into the U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame®. Thomas D. Jones, PhD and Captain Scott
D. Altman, who have each demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in furthering
NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery, brought the total number of
astronauts in this prestigious society to 97.
On-hand
to welcome Dr. Jones and Captain Altman to the hall of fame were Curt Brown,
board chairman of the Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation, Therrin Protze, Chief Operating Officer of
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Associate Director of NASA Kennedy
Space Center, Kelvin Manning, and more than 15 previous astronaut inductees
including Walt Cunningham, Robert Crippen, Karol Bobko, Story Musgrave,
Daniel Brandenstein, Brewster Shaw, Robert Gibson, Loren Shriver, Jeffrey
Hoffman, Rhea Seddon, Jerry Ross, Charlie Bolden, Ellen Ochoa, Charlie
Precourt, John Grunsfeld and Kent Rominger.
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Both
Dr. Jones and Captain Altman have had illustrious careers centered around
their love of space and science:
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Dr. Jones’
contributions to the U.S. space program have gone well beyond his 11 years
with NASA, during which he flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth
orbit. A graduate of the Air Force Academy and former B-52 bomber pilot,
Jones joined NASA in 1990. He helped run science operations during STS-59,
the first flight of the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1) and was the payload
commander on the SRL-2 mission aboard STS-68 in the same year. The author
of four space and aviation books, he has engineered intelligence-gathering
systems for the CIA as well as helped NASA develop advanced mission concepts
to explore the solar system. The recipient of multiple awards, including
NASA’s Exceptional Service Award, Outstanding Leadership Medal, Exceptional
Public Service Medal and Distinguished Service Medal, Dr. Jones also had
the Main Belt asteroid 1082, named in his honor. He is currently a senior
research scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition,
focusing on the future direction of human space exploration, uses of asteroid
and space resources and planetary defense.
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Captain
Altman is an accomplished fighter pilot known for his aerial acrobatic
flights in the movie “Top Gun.” He was selected as an astronaut candidate
by NASA in 1995. His years as a Naval Captain led him to pilot his first
two shuttle missions and then serve as a commander on his final two missions.
In 1998, he served as a pilot on Columbia during the STS-90 Neurolab mission,
which studied the effects of microgravity on the brain and human nervous
system. Two years later in 2000, he piloted Atlantis on STS-106 during
a 12-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for the arrival
of the first permanent crew. He also commanded Columbia on STS-109 and
STS-125, both missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope. In total,
Altman spent more than 51 days in space during his four missions. He is
a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Navy Commendation Medal,
and was the 1987 award winner for outstanding achievement in Tactical Aviation
as selected by the Association of Naval Aviation. He retired from NASA
in 2010 to join the ASRC Federal family of companies.
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 $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
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.
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Media
Contacts:
Lauren
Eisele Walbert
Sandy
Hillman Communications
Office:
410-616-8943
Mobile:
443-683-0294
Rebecca
Shireman
Manager
of Communications & Public Relations
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
321-449-4273
or 321-213-5926
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