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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
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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
(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

Delaware North
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Placement Dates: 05/28/15 – 07/28/15
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