Mark E. Kelly
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| Mark Edward Kelly | |
|---|---|
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| NASA Astronaut | |
| Status | Active |
| Born | February 21, 1964 Orange, New Jersey |
| Rank | Captain, USN |
| Time in space | 38+ days |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-108, STS-121, STS-124 |
| Mission insignia |    |
Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey) is an American astronaut. NASA has selected Kelly to command STS-134, the penultimate scheduled mission of the space shuttle program.[1] Kelly first went into space as the pilot for STS-108 Endeavour December 5–17, 2001. He returned to space as the pilot of STS-121 Discovery July 4-17, 2006. On Kelly's third mission he served as commander of STS-124 Discovery May 31 to June 14, 2008. His fourth mission (STS-134) is scheduled for July, 2010.
Kelly's wife is U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Kelly is the first NASA astronaut to fly in space while married to a member of the U.S. Congress.[2] His twin brother, Scott J. Kelly, is also a NASA astronaut. The Kelly brothers are the only twins who have both traveled in space.[3]
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[edit] NASA career
Mark Kelly and his twin brother Scott were both selected to be pilots by NASA in 1996. They joined the astronaut corps in August of that year. Mark Kelly has logged over 38 days in space.
[edit] Spaceflight experience
[edit] STS-108
Kelly was the pilot of STS-108 in 2001, a mission that visited the International Space Station (ISS), delivering over three tons of equipment, supplies, and a fresh crew to the orbiting outpost.[4] STS-108 returned to earth with the previous ISS crew of three men.
During the mission, Kelly traveled over 4.8 million miles and orbited the earth 185 times over 11 days and 19+ hours.[4]
[edit] STS-121
In July 2006, Kelly served as pilot for STS-121, the second Return to Flight mission following the loss of Columbia in February 2003. Because of weather delays, STS-121 became the first Shuttle mission to launch on the Fourth of July. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster as well as to deliver supplies, equipment, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter from Germany to the ISS. The transfer of Reiter to the ISS returned the station to a three crew member staffing level. Astronaut Lisa Nowak was a crew-mate on this mission.[citation needed]
During the mission Kelly traveled over 5.28 million miles and orbited the earth 202 times over 12 days and 18+ hours.[4]
[edit] STS-124
On April 29, 2008, Kelly discussed his role on the upcoming mission:
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- Well, my first two flights I was the pilot on Endeavour in 2001, Discovery in 2006. Being the commander is different in that you’re responsible for the overall mission rather than just having your piece of the pie. You have to worry about the whole thing, the training drill your other crew members are getting, mission success, and mission safety. So it is a more comprehensive job, requires more time. I’m really a little bit surprised at how much more there is to it. But I think it’s more rewarding as well.[6]
Kelly was the commander of STS-124. Just prior to liftoff he made the following statement: "While we've all prepared for this event today, the discoveries from Kibo will definitely offer hope for tomorrow. Now stand by for the greatest show on Earth."[7]
Launch Pad 39A sustained unprecedented damage when STS-124 blasted off on May 31, 2008. Space.com reported that "inspectors found bricks and mortar from the trench designed to catch the flames that shoot out beneath the shuttle when it launches. The debris flew as far as the perimeter fence 1,500 feet (457 m) away from the pad."[8]
Kelly and his crew delivered the pressurized unit for the Japanese Experiment Module for the International Space Station (ISS), also known as Kibo (hope). They brought a replacement part for a malfunctioning toilet on the ISS. "After the shuttle docked with the station and Commander Kelly floated through the hatch, he joked, 'You looking for a plumber?'"[9] Disney action figure Buzz Lightyear joined Kelly and his crew on the mission.[10]
Kelly's first words upon returning to earth on June 14, 2008, were: “Wheels stopped.”[9] He then continued, "it's great to be back, great for all of us to be part of a great team and to leave the station a little bit bigger and a little bit more capable."[11]
During the mission, Kelly traveled over 5.7 million miles, and orbited the earth 217 times over 13 days 18+ hours. This mission was both Kelly's third and the third-longest mission for Discovery at the time of the mission.
[edit] STS-134
Mark Kelly will command Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final scheduled mission of the space shuttle Endeavour, STS-134. Kelly and his crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the ISS. AMS is a 15,000 lb cosmic particle detector that will be installed on the outside of ISS. Its experiments will help researchers study the formation of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter and antimatter
The launch date is scheduled for July 2010.[citation needed]
[edit]
In December 1987, Kelly became a naval aviator and received initial training on the A-6E attack aircraft. He was then assigned to VA-115 (Attack Squadron 115) in Atsugi, Japan, and made two deployments to the Persian Gulf on the aircraft carrier USS Midway, during the second of which he flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. After receiving his master's degree he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School from June 1993 to June 1994. He has logged more than 4,500 hours in more than 50 different aircraft and has over 375 carrier landings.[4]
[edit] Personal life
Born in Orange, New Jersey, Kelly was raised in West Orange, where he graduated from West Orange High School in 1982.[4] He then received a B.S. degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, graduating with highest honors in 1986. While attending the USMMA, he achieved the position of Regimental Executive Officer; the second-highest position in the Regiment of Midshipmen, known informally as "RX". In 1994, he received an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.
Kelly served as a fellow of the National Committee on U.S. China Relations.
He has two children. Kelly is married to U.S Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson, Arizona.[12] His parents are Richard and Patricia Kelly of Flagler Beach, Florida.
[edit] References
- ^ "NASA Assigns Final Shuttle Crew UPI, August 11, 2009
- ^ "Congresswoman's husband now in orbit", Arizona Republic, 1 June 2008.
- ^ Twins in Outer Space, twinstuff.com
- ^ a b c d e "Biographical Data: Mark E. Kelly (Commander, USN)". NASA.gov. 2008-06-01. http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/kellyme.html. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ Expedition 13 commander representing Russia's Federal Space Agency.
- ^ Preflight Interview: Mark Kelly, Commander, NASA, April 29, 2008.
- ^ "Shuttle Discovery Launches Space Station's Largest Lab", Space.com, 31 May 2008.
- ^ "NASA Eyes Launch Pad Damage for Next Shuttle Flight", Space.com, 2 June 2008.
- ^ a b "Shuttle Returns After 14-Day Mission", The New York Times, June 15, 2008.
- ^ "Buzz Lightyear becomes real space ranger". collectSPACE. 2008-05-29. http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052908a.html. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ^ Welcome to NASA's STS-124 Landing Blog, NASA, June 14, 2008.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-05-31). "Congresswoman Nervous as Husband Goes to Space". FoxNews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361174,00.html. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
[edit] External links
- Mark Kelly on Twitter
- Spacefacts biography of Mark E. Kelly
- Gabrielle Giffords: USAA member since 2007 in USAA Magazine: A Member's Guide to Financial Security (United Services Automobile Association), Spring 2009, p. 32 (back cover).
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