Four Space Shuttle Astronauts Selected for 2015 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® Induction

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, May 30, 2015, four space shuttle astronauts will be inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame^® during a public ceremony held at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Space Shuttle Atlantis^SM  attraction: John Grunsfeld, Ph. D., Steven Lindsey, Kent Rominger, and M. Rhea Seddon, M.D. 

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These astronaut heroes will join the ranks of well-known space explorers including Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. This year marks the historic 25^th anniversary of the Hall of Fame, which was conceived in the 1980s by the six remaining Mercury astronauts as a place where space explorers could be remembered. Past Hall of Fame inductees include Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle astronauts.

This year's inductees comprise the 14th group of space shuttle astronauts named to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of members to 91. Among this year's inductees are a robotics expert who conducted three missions to repair the Hubble Space Telescope; two former military aviators who became space shuttle pilots and commanders on key shuttle missions to build the International Space Station; and a medical doctor and payload commander on life sciences missions who was one of NASA's first female astronauts.

John Grunsfeld, Ph. D. is a veteran of five space shuttle missions (STS-67/Endeavour, STS-81/Atlantis, STS-103/Discovery, STS-109/Columbia and STS-125/Atlantis), including three missions to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. On STS-125/Atlantis, the fifth and final Hubble servicing mission, Grunsfeld performed three of the five spacewalks, spending nearly 21 hours repairing the ailing telescope. Throughout his career, Grunsfeld has logged more than 58 days in space, including 58 hours and 30 minutes on eight spacewalks. 

Steven W. Lindsey (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) was selected as a NASA astronaut in March 1995. A veteran of five space shuttle flights, Lindsey has logged more than 1,510 hours in space. He served as pilot of two space shuttle flights and mission commander on three, including STS-104/Atlantis and STS-121/Discovery, the second Return to Flight mission after the loss of Columbia. Lindsey last served as commander of STS-133, the 39th and final mission of Space Shuttle Discovery, during which he and his crew delivered crucial components to the International Space Station, including Robonaut 2, or R2, the first human-like robot in space.

Kent V. Rominger (Captain, USN, Ret.) is a five-time space shuttle astronaut who has logged more than 1,600 hours in space. He flew as pilot on three space shuttle flights and mission commander on two, including STS-96/Discovery, the first-ever docking of a space shuttle to the International Space Station. Rominger visited the space station again on STS-100/Endeavour, when he and his crew installed the Canadian-built Robotic Arm and the Rafaello Logistics Module, completing the most complex robotics flight in the history of the Space Shuttle Program.

Dr. M. "Rhea" Seddon is a three-time space shuttle astronaut. She was selected by NASA in 1978 as one of the first six women to enter the astronaut program. On her final flight, STS-58/Columbia, Seddon was payload commander in charge of all science activities. This life science research flight is recognized by NASA as the most successful and efficient Spacelab mission ever flown. In all, Seddon has spent a total of 30 days in space.

The 2015 Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. Admittance into the ceremony is included in admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; however, seating is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.  

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.

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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.

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SOURCE Delaware North; Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex