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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
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Four Veteran Space Shuttle
Astronauts Inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®
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Cape Canaveral, FL – June 2015 / Newsmaker Alert / Space Shuttle astronauts John Grunsfeld, Steve Lindsey, Kent Rominger and Rhea Seddon joined an elite group of American space heroes with their induction Saturday (May 30) into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® during a ceremony held in the Space Shuttle Atlantis (SM) attraction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the U.S. 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, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle programs.

The 2015 inductees have all accomplished great feats as astronauts and scientists:

  • John 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.
  • Steve 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, which delivered Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Kent Rominger flew aboard five space shuttle missions and was commander of STS-96 Discovery, the first docking of the space shuttle to the ISS.
  • Rhea 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-40 Columbia as a mission specialist during the first Spacelab Life Sciences flight.
There were 26 legendary astronauts welcoming the inductees: Walt Cunningham, Al Worden, Jack Lousma, Bob Crippen, Karol “Bo” Bobko, Rick Hauck, Dan Brandenstein, Brewster Shaw, Hoot Gibson, Bruce McCandless, Michael Coats, Steve Hawley, Loren Shriver, Jeff Hoffman, Dick Covey, Bonnie Dunbar, Jerry Ross, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, Franklin Chang Diaz, John Blaha, Kathy Thorton, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, Frank Culbertson, Curt Brown, Eileen Collins and Fred Gregory.

Rhea Seddon’s induction also represented a first for the Hall of Fame as she joined her husband, Hoot Gibson, in the select group. The couple also celebrated their 34th anniversary.

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.
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2015 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Inductees (left to right): Kent Rominger, Rhea Seddon, Steve Lindsey, John Grunsfeld
2015 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Inductees (left to right):
Kent Rominger, Rhea Seddon, Steve Lindsey, John Grunsfeld
(Photo File)
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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 Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Space Shuttle Atlantis (SM), Shuttle Launch Experience®, IMAX® Hubble 3D and Journey to Space films, Astronaut Encounter, Journey to Mars, Rocket Garden and many other interactive exhibits. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world’s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, which opens daily at noon and 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. The 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 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 321-455-7012 or log on to www.AstronautScholarship.org.

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: 06/02/15 – 08/02/15
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