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U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame® Celebrates 25th
Anniversary
with
Induction of Four Space Shuttle Astronauts on May 30
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Kennedy Space
Center Visitor Complex to
Host Induction
Ceremony at Space Shuttle Atlantis (SM)
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Cape
Canaveral, FL – May 2015 / Newsmaker Alert / Veteran space shuttle
astronauts John Grunsfeld, Steve Lindsey, Kent Rominger and Rhea Seddon
will be honored for their contributions to NASA and the space industry
as they are inducted into the U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame® (AHOF) May 30. The public induction ceremony
will take place at 2 p.m. at Space Shuttle AtlantisSM at the Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex.
More
than 20 legendary astronauts and space icons are expected to attend this
event to welcome the inductees.
Grunsfeld,
Lindsey, Rominger and Seddon will join the ranks of well-known space explorers
such as Alan Shepard, John Glenn, John Young, Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride
and Eileen Collins as members of the Astronaut Hall of Fame.
This
year marks the 25th anniversary of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, and the
induction of these four accomplished astronauts brings the Hall of Fame
to 91 honored heroes. Earlier inductees represent the Mercury, Gemini,
Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz programs.
The
2015 AHOF inductees have all accomplished great feats as astronauts and
scientists:
Grunsfeld
completed eight spacewalks over the course of his five space shuttle missions.
He worked heavily with the Hubble Space Telescope carrying out three of
its five servicing missions.
Lindsey
was pilot and commander of five space shuttle missions. During his last
flight, he commanded the 39th and final flight of space shuttle Discovery
that delivered Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, to the
International Space Station (ISS).
Rominger
flew aboard five space shuttle missions and was commander of STS-96 Discovery,
the first docking of the space shuttle to the ISS.
Seddon
was selected by NASA in 1978 as part of the first U.S. astronaut class
to include women. A veteran of three space flights, Seddon served on STS-58
Columbia as a mission specialist during the first Spacelab Life Sciences
flight.
Astronaut
photo opportunities and signings will take place on the top floor Space
Shuttle Atlantis on Saturday, May 30 before the induction. On Sunday, May
31, Seddon, will sign copies of her new memoir, Go For Orbit, a look at
her journeys in space as one of the first female astronauts.
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(L-R)
John M. Grunsfeld, Steven W. Lindsey, Kent V. Rominger and M. Rhea Seddon
(photo
file)
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Astronaut
Hall of Fame Induction Schedule
Saturday:
-
10:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Astronaut appearances, signing and photo opportunities
on the top floor of Space Shuttle Atlantis
-
10:30
a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Astronauts
Dick Covey and Frank Culbertson
-
11:30
a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Astronauts
Al Worden and Bob Crippen
-
2 p.m.:
U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony under Space Shuttle Atlantis.
Sunday:
-
3 p.m.:
Book signing by Rhea Seddon, at the Space Shop.
The 2015
inductees were 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.
For
more information, please visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
About
the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
The
United
States Astronaut Hall of Fame was first conceived in the 1980s, when
the six surviving Mercury astronauts sought to create a place where space
travelers could be remembered. Their dream was realized in 1990, when the
Hall of Fame attraction opened in Titusville, Fla. outside the gates to
Kennedy Space Center. Today, the Astronaut Scholarship 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 Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation awards merit-based scholarships to the best and
brightest students pursuing science, technology, engineering and math.
The prestigious Astronaut Scholarship is known nationwide for being among
the highest scholarships awarded to undergraduate STEM students. Since
its inception, ASF has awarded over $4 million in scholarship to more than
370 of the nation’s top scholars. For more information, call 321-449-4876
or log on to www.AstronautScholarship.org.
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 and educational activities,
including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Saturn V Center with
an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Space Shuttle Atlantis (SM), Shuttle
Launch Experience®, 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter,
Exploration Space®: Explorers Wanted and many other interactive exhibits.
Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring
historic spacecraft and the world’s most comprehensive collection of personal
astronaut memorabilia (opens daily at noon; closing times vary by season).
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.
About
Delaware North
Delaware
North is one of the largest and most admired privately-held hospitality
companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly
100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service with subsidiary
and affiliate operations in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurants
and catering, parks, resorts, gaming and specialty retail industries. Its
portfolio includes high-profile venues ranging from sports stadiums, entertainment
complexes, national parks, restaurants, airports, and some of the top regional
casinos in the country. The company also owns a selection of award-winning
destination resorts, as well as a series of premium restaurants and catering
services that are leaders in the industry. Delaware North has annual revenue
of $3 billion with 60,000 employee associates serving half a billion guests
in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand,
and Asia. “Delaware North” is a reference to Delaware North Companies Inc.
and its affiliates and subsidiaries, including location-specific operating
entities. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.
Contact:
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
Andrea
Farmer
Public
Relations Manager
321-449-4318
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