Mark E. Kelly
Encyclopedia
Mark Edward Kelly is a retired American astronaut
, U.S. Navy
captain and naval aviator
who flew combat missions during the Gulf War
. He was selected to become a NASA
space shuttle
pilot in 1996 and flew his first mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108
. He piloted STS-121
in 2006 and commanded STS-124
in 2008 and STS-134
in 2011. STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of space shuttle Endeavour
.
Kelly is married to U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
, the target of an attempted assassination
in Tucson, Arizona
, on January 8, 2011. After the shooting, in which six people were killed, both Kelly and Giffords were thrust into the media spotlight. His wife's shooting led to a broad national conversation ranging from the duties of a husband to what is acceptable civil discourse. Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut and served as commander of International Space Station
(ISS) Expedition 26
. The Kelly brothers are the only twins and only siblings to have both traveled in space.
. Kelly graduated from Mountain High School
in 1982. He received a B.S. degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy
graduating with highest honors in 1986. In 1994, he received an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering
from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
.
, and made two deployments to the Persian Gulf
on the aircraft carrier flying 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 5,000 hours in more than 50 different aircraft and has over 375 carrier landings.
He is the recipient of the following awards: two Defense Superior Service Medal
s; four Air Medal
s (two individual/two strike flight) with Combat "V"; one Legion of Merit
; one Distinguished Flying Cross
; two Navy Commendation Medals, one with combat "V"); one Navy Achievement Medal; two Southwest Asia Service Medal
s; one Navy Expeditionary Medal
; two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; and an Overseas Service Ribbon
.
On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced his retirement from the U.S. Navy and NASA, effective October 1, 2011. His retirement was announced on his Facebook page, where he wrote, "Words cannot convey my deep gratitude for the opportunities I have been given to serve our great nation. From the day I entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the summer of 1982 to the moment I landed the Space Shuttle Endeavour three weeks ago, it has been my privilege to advance the ideals that define the United States of America."
During his 2006 flight on Space Shuttle Discovery, the second mission after the loss of Columbia
, Kelly discussed the risks of flying the space shuttle:
Kelly's first trip into space was as pilot of STS-108. After several delays, Endeavour lifted off on December 5, 2001, on the final shuttle mission of 2001.
STS-108 Endeavour visited the ISS, delivering over three tons of equipment, supplies, and a fresh crew to the orbiting outpost. The hatches were opened between Endeavour and the ISS Destiny Laboratory on December 7, enabling the ten crew members to greet one another. The Expedition 3
crew officially ended their 117-day residency on board the International Space Station on December 8 as their custom Soyuz seat-liners were transferred to Endeavour for the return trip home. The transfer of the Expedition 4
seat-liners to the Soyuz return vehicle attached to the station marked the official exchange of crews.
Kelly and Mission Specialist Linda Godwin used the shuttle's robotic arm to lift the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the shuttle payload bay and attach it to a berth on the station's Unity node. The crews began unloading supplies the same day. Mission managers extended Endeavour's flight duration to 12 days to allow the crew to assist with additional maintenance tasks on the station, including work on a treadmill and replacing a failed compressor in one of the air conditioners in the Zvezda Service Module. A change of command ceremony took place on December 13 as Expedition 3 ended and Expedition 4 began. STS-108 returned to Earth with the previous ISS crew of three men.
Kelly traveled over 4.8 million miles and orbited the earth 186 times over 11 days and 19+ hours.
In July 2006 Kelly served as pilot for STS-121 Discovery
, 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.
During the STS-121 mission to the ISS, the crew of Discovery continued to test new equipment and procedures for the inspection and repair of the thermal protection system that is designed to increase the safety of the Shuttles. It also delivered more supplies and cargo for future ISS expansion.
After the Columbia accident, NASA decided that two test flights would be required and that activities that were originally assigned to STS-114 would need to be divided into two missions because of the addition of post-Columbia safety tests.
Gabrielle Giffords
, Kelly's girlfriend at the time, picked one of the wake-up songs for the mission: "Beautiful Day" by U2
.
Kelly traveled over 5.28 million miles and orbited the Earth 202 times over 12 days and 18+ hours.
The mission was the second of three shuttle missions to carry components of Japan's Kibo laboratory
to the ISS. Kibo means hope in Japanese. The laboratory is Japan's primary contribution to the ISS.
Just prior to liftoff Kelly said: "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."
During the launch, Launch Pad 39A
sustained substantial damage, more than had been seen on any previous launch. Following liftoff, inspectors discovered that bricks and mortar from the launch pad's base had been thrown as far as the perimeter fence, a distance of 1,500 feet (457 m).
Kelly and his crew delivered the pressurized module for Kibo to the ISS. The module is the largest component of the Kibo laboratory and the station's largest habitable module. Discovery also delivered Kibo's Remote Manipulator System. Perhaps the most important part they delivered was a replacement part for the station's toilet
. The single toilet on the ISS had been malfunctioning for a week, creating a potentially serious problem for the crew. When Kelly first entered the station, he joked, "You looking for a plumber?", referring to the broken toilet.
This mission marked the first time a spouse of a member of the U.S. Congress traveled to space. Kelly traveled over 5.7 million miles, and orbited the earth 218 times over 13 days and 18 hours.
On April 29, 2011, the first launch attempt of STS-134 was scrubbed. Kelly's wife, Gabrielle Giffords, traveled to Florida on her first trip since moving from Tucson to Houston in January after an attempted assassination. Giffords' appearance at Kennedy Space Center is giving the launch a high profile, "one of the most anticipated in years," according to the New York Times. President Obama visited the Kennedy Space Center on April 29 on a trip with the original intention of watching Endeavour launch.
Kelly was the commander of the mission which will be Space Shuttle Endeavour's last. He and his crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
(AMS) to the ISS.
Most of the mission's delays were caused by external tank
issues on STS-133
Discovery. When Mark's twin brother Scott Kelly went to the ISS on October 7, 2010, STS-134 was scheduled to go to the station during Scott's mission. The potential rendezvous in space of the Kelly brothers would have been a first meeting of blood relatives in space. The delay of the launch of STS-134 ended the possibility of that happening.
After the shooting of his wife, his status as commander of STS-134 was unclear, but NASA announced on February 4, 2011, that Kelly would remain as commander of the mission. The remarkable progress his wife was making in her recovery helped Kelly make the decision to return to training. Peggy Whitson
of NASA stated "we are confident in his ability to successfully lead this mission, and I know I speak for all of NASA in saying 'welcome back.'"
At 4 pm PDT on May 22, the European Space Agency
and Italian Space Agency
arranged for a call to Endeavour by Pope Benedict XVI
. During his call—prompted by the discovery of a gash in the shuttle's fuselage—the Pope extended his blessing to Kelly's wife, who had undergone skull surgery earlier in the week. The event marked the first time a Pope spoke to astronauts during the course of a mission.
On June 24, 2011, a prerecorded message by Kelly from the ISS, wished his wife love and introduced U2
's song "Beautiful Day" on the first night of the Glastonbury festival
in England
. A similar message from Kelly aboard the ISS was played during U2's 360° Tour
concert stop at various locations. He says: "I'm looking forward to coming home. Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows."
Kelly married U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
of Tucson, Arizona
, on November 10, 2007, in a ceremony presided over by Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, and attended by his STS-124 shuttle crew and former Secretary of Labor
Robert Reich
. Reich toasted: "To a bride who moves at a velocity that exceeds that of anyone else in Washington, and a groom who moves at a velocity that exceeds 17,000 miles per hour." The couple met on a 2003 trip to China as part of a trade mission sponsored by the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations.
He lives in Houston. At the time of their marriage Kelly said that the longest period of time the two had spent together in one stretch was a couple of weeks. He said that they didn't plan to always live that way, but that's what they were used to. He added, "It teaches you not to sweat the small stuff."
Kelly received word that his wife had been shot from an aide of the Congresswoman's almost immediately after the shooting. He flew from Houston to Tucson with members of his family. While en route the Kellys received an erroneous news report that Giffords had died. "The kids, Claudia and Claire started crying. My mother, she almost screamed. I just walked into the bathroom, and you know, broke down." Calling family in Tucson, Kelly found out that the report was false and that she was alive and in surgery. "It was a terrible mistake," Kelly said, "as bad as it was that she had died, it's equally exciting that she hadn't."
From the time he arrived in Tucson, Kelly sat vigil at his wife's bedside as she struggled to survive and began to recover. As her condition began to improve, the Kelly-Giffords family researched options for rehabilitation facilities, and chose a center in Houston. On January 21, Giffords was transferred to an ICU unit at the Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center Hospital
where she spent five days prior to moving to Memorial Hermann's Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, where she continued her recovery and rehabilitation.
Giffords and her husband had spoken dozens of times about how risky her job was. She was afraid that someone would come up to her at a public event with a gun. In an interview filmed just over a week after the shooting Kelly said "She has Tombstone, Arizona
, in her district, the town that's too tough to die. Gabrielle Giffords is too tough to let this beat her."
flew to Tucson to speak at the memorial
. Kelly sat between Michelle Obama
and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano
, the previous governor of Arizona. At the end of the service President Obama consoled and embraced him, after which Kelly returned to the hospital to be with his wife.
Kelly spoke on February 3, 2011, at the National Prayer Breakfast
in Washington, D.C. His remarks closed the event where President Obama also spoke. The attack on his wife brought Kelly closer to God and gave him a newfound awareness regarding prayer. Kelly said that prior to the attack, "I thought the world just spins and the clock just ticks and things happen for no particular reason." Kelly said that in Tucson, as he found himself wandering in makeshift memorials and shrines, filled with bibles and angels that "You pray where you are. You pray when God is there in your heart." Kelly offered the final prayer of the morning. The prayer was from Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, who married Kelly and Giffords, and who said the same words over Giffords’ on the night of the shooting:
Kelly believes that there's now a chance to change a political environment he thinks is filled with far too much vitriol. He hoped that the tragedy would also be an opportunity to improve the tone of our national dialogue and cool down the rhetoric. In response to a question on February 4, regarding the discussions about civility in politics Kelly said: "I haven’t spent a lot of time following that but I think that with something that was so horrible and so negative and the fact that six people lost their lives, including a nine-year old girl, a federal judge, Gabby’s staff member Gabe—who was like a younger brother to her—it’s really really a sad situation. I am hopeful that something positive can come out of it. I think that will happen, so those are good things."
in November 2011. Kelly's retirement has raised speculation that he might run for office in 2012 either for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Jon Kyl
who is retiring, or for his wife's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives if her health condition prevents her from running for re-election. Kelly says he is not running for office but he also has not ruled out the possibility.
He plans to make public speaking appearances after his retirement. Kelly says that he will discuss his career as an astronaut and share his and Giffords's "story with audiences in a way that will allow healing and strength to emerge from a tragic event, and to remind everyone about the resiliency of the human spirit."
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
captain and naval aviator
United States Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
who flew combat missions during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. He was selected to become a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
space shuttle
Space Shuttle program
NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
pilot in 1996 and flew his first mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108
STS-108
STS-108 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. Its primary objective was to deliver supplies to and help maintain the ISS....
. He piloted STS-121
STS-121
STS-121 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and...
in 2006 and commanded STS-124
STS-124
STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008, and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15...
in 2008 and STS-134
STS-134
STS-134 was the penultimate mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The mission marked the 25th and final flight of . This flight delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and an ExPRESS Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station. Mark Kelly served as the mission commander...
in 2011. STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of space shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger...
.
Kelly is married to U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
, the target of an attempted assassination
2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, a mass shooting occurred near Tucson, Arizona. Nineteen people were shot, six of them fatally, with one other person injured at the scene during an open meeting that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was holding with members of her constituency in a Casas Adobes Safeway...
in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, on January 8, 2011. After the shooting, in which six people were killed, both Kelly and Giffords were thrust into the media spotlight. His wife's shooting led to a broad national conversation ranging from the duties of a husband to what is acceptable civil discourse. Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut and served as commander of International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS) Expedition 26
Expedition 26
The Expedition 26 was the twenty-sixth long-duration mission to the International Space Station. The expedition's first three crew members – one US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts – arrived at the station on board Soyuz TMA-01M on 10 October 2010...
. The Kelly brothers are the only twins and only siblings to have both traveled in space.
Early life and education
Mark Edward Kelly is the son of Richard and Patricia Kelly, two retired police officers. He was born in Orange, New Jersey, on February 21, 1964, and raised in West Orange, New JerseyWest Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
. Kelly graduated from Mountain High School
West Orange High School (New Jersey)
West Orange High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey. WOHS is currently the only high school serving the West Orange Public Schools...
in 1982. He received a B.S. degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is one of the five United States Service academies...
graduating with highest honors in 1986. In 1994, he received an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
.
Naval career
In December 1987, Kelly became a United States Naval aviator and received initial training on the A-6E Intruder attack aircraft. He was then assigned to VA-115 (Attack Squadron 115) in Atsugi, JapanAtsugi, Kanagawa
is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 225,622 and a population density of 2,410 persons per km². The total area was 93.83 km²...
, and made two deployments to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
on the aircraft carrier flying 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. After receiving his master's degree he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
United States Naval Test Pilot School
The United States Naval Test Pilot School , located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test...
from June 1993 to June 1994. He has logged more than 5,000 hours in more than 50 different aircraft and has over 375 carrier landings.
He is the recipient of the following awards: two Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
s; four Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
s (two individual/two strike flight) with Combat "V"; one Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
; one Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
The Distinguished Flying Cross may refer to:*Distinguished Flying Cross , including Commonwealth countries*Distinguished Flying Cross...
; two Navy Commendation Medals, one with combat "V"); one Navy Achievement Medal; two Southwest Asia Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
s; one Navy Expeditionary Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal
The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy...
; two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; and an Overseas Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
.
On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced his retirement from the U.S. Navy and NASA, effective October 1, 2011. His retirement was announced on his Facebook page, where he wrote, "Words cannot convey my deep gratitude for the opportunities I have been given to serve our great nation. From the day I entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the summer of 1982 to the moment I landed the Space Shuttle Endeavour three weeks ago, it has been my privilege to advance the ideals that define the United States of America."
NASA career
Mark Kelly and his brother Scott were both selected to be shuttle pilots by NASA in 1996. They joined the astronaut corps in August of that year. Mark Kelly has logged over 38 days in space.During his 2006 flight on Space Shuttle Discovery, the second mission after the loss of Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
, Kelly discussed the risks of flying the space shuttle:
STS-108
STS-108 Endeavour visited the ISS, delivering over three tons of equipment, supplies, and a fresh crew to the orbiting outpost. The hatches were opened between Endeavour and the ISS Destiny Laboratory on December 7, enabling the ten crew members to greet one another. The Expedition 3
Expedition 3
Expedition 3 was the third expedition to the International Space Station. Commander Frank Culbertson was the only American crew member, and as such the only American not on Earth during the September 11 terrorist attacks, which the crew photographed and videoed from the ISS.- Crew :- Mission...
crew officially ended their 117-day residency on board the International Space Station on December 8 as their custom Soyuz seat-liners were transferred to Endeavour for the return trip home. The transfer of the Expedition 4
Expedition 4
Expedition 4 was the fourth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Perigee: 384 km*Apogee: 396 km*Inclination: 51.6°*Period: 92 min...
seat-liners to the Soyuz return vehicle attached to the station marked the official exchange of crews.
Kelly and Mission Specialist Linda Godwin used the shuttle's robotic arm to lift the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the shuttle payload bay and attach it to a berth on the station's Unity node. The crews began unloading supplies the same day. Mission managers extended Endeavour's flight duration to 12 days to allow the crew to assist with additional maintenance tasks on the station, including work on a treadmill and replacing a failed compressor in one of the air conditioners in the Zvezda Service Module. A change of command ceremony took place on December 13 as Expedition 3 ended and Expedition 4 began. STS-108 returned to Earth with the previous ISS crew of three men.
Kelly traveled over 4.8 million miles and orbited the earth 186 times over 11 days and 19+ hours.
STS-121
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
, 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
Thomas Reiter
Thomas Arthur Reiter is a retired European astronaut and is a Brigadier General in the Luftwaffe currently working as Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations at the European Space Agency . , he was one of the top 25 astronauts in terms of total time in space...
from Germany to the ISS. The transfer of Reiter to the ISS returned the station to a three crew member staffing level.
During the STS-121 mission to the ISS, the crew of Discovery continued to test new equipment and procedures for the inspection and repair of the thermal protection system that is designed to increase the safety of the Shuttles. It also delivered more supplies and cargo for future ISS expansion.
After the Columbia accident, NASA decided that two test flights would be required and that activities that were originally assigned to STS-114 would need to be divided into two missions because of the addition of post-Columbia safety tests.
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
, Kelly's girlfriend at the time, picked one of the wake-up songs for the mission: "Beautiful Day" by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
Kelly traveled over 5.28 million miles and orbited the Earth 202 times over 12 days and 18+ hours.
STS-124
STS-124 Discovery was Kelly's first mission as commander. A month prior to liftoff he discussed what being a shuttle commander entailed and how it was different from his previous missions:The mission was the second of three shuttle missions to carry components of Japan's Kibo laboratory
Japanese Experiment Module
The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124...
to the ISS. Kibo means hope in Japanese. The laboratory is Japan's primary contribution to the ISS.
Just prior to liftoff Kelly said: "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."
During the launch, Launch Pad 39A
Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39
Launch Complex 39 is a rocket launch site at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida, USA. The site and its collection of facilities were originally built for the Apollo program, and later modified to support Space Shuttle operations. NASA began modifying LC-39 in 2007 to...
sustained substantial damage, more than had been seen on any previous launch. Following liftoff, inspectors discovered that bricks and mortar from the launch pad's base had been thrown as far as the perimeter fence, a distance of 1,500 feet (457 m).
Kelly and his crew delivered the pressurized module for Kibo to the ISS. The module is the largest component of the Kibo laboratory and the station's largest habitable module. Discovery also delivered Kibo's Remote Manipulator System. Perhaps the most important part they delivered was a replacement part for the station's toilet
Space toilet
A space toilet, or zero gravity toilet, is a toilet that can be used in a weightless environment. In the absence of weight the collection and retention of liquid and solid waste is directed by use of air flow. Since the air used to direct the waste is returned to the cabin, it is filtered...
. The single toilet on the ISS had been malfunctioning for a week, creating a potentially serious problem for the crew. When Kelly first entered the station, he joked, "You looking for a plumber?", referring to the broken toilet.
This mission marked the first time a spouse of a member of the U.S. Congress traveled to space. Kelly traveled over 5.7 million miles, and orbited the earth 218 times over 13 days and 18 hours.
STS-134
STS-134 launched on May 16, 2011.On April 29, 2011, the first launch attempt of STS-134 was scrubbed. Kelly's wife, Gabrielle Giffords, traveled to Florida on her first trip since moving from Tucson to Houston in January after an attempted assassination. Giffords' appearance at Kennedy Space Center is giving the launch a high profile, "one of the most anticipated in years," according to the New York Times. President Obama visited the Kennedy Space Center on April 29 on a trip with the original intention of watching Endeavour launch.
Kelly was the commander of the mission which will be Space Shuttle Endeavour's last. He and his crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, also designated AMS-02, is a particle physics experiment module that is mounted on the International Space Station. It is designed to search for various types of unusual matter by measuring cosmic rays. Its experiments will help researchers study the formation of...
(AMS) to the ISS.
Most of the mission's delays were caused by external tank
Space Shuttle external tank
A Space Shuttle External Tank is the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contains the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. During lift-off and ascent it supplies the fuel and oxidizer under pressure to the three Space Shuttle Main Engines in the orbiter...
issues on STS-133
STS-133
STS-133 was the 133rd mission in NASA's Space Shuttle program; during the mission, Space Shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station. It was Discoverys 39th and final mission. The mission launched on 24 February 2011, and landed on 9 March 2011...
Discovery. When Mark's twin brother Scott Kelly went to the ISS on October 7, 2010, STS-134 was scheduled to go to the station during Scott's mission. The potential rendezvous in space of the Kelly brothers would have been a first meeting of blood relatives in space. The delay of the launch of STS-134 ended the possibility of that happening.
After the shooting of his wife, his status as commander of STS-134 was unclear, but NASA announced on February 4, 2011, that Kelly would remain as commander of the mission. The remarkable progress his wife was making in her recovery helped Kelly make the decision to return to training. Peggy Whitson
Peggy Whitson
Peggy Annette Whitson is an American biochemistry researcher, NASA astronaut, and NASA's Chief Astronaut. Her first space mission was in 2002, with an extended stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. Her second mission launched October 10, 2007, as the first female...
of NASA stated "we are confident in his ability to successfully lead this mission, and I know I speak for all of NASA in saying 'welcome back.'"
Papal blessing
At 4 pm PDT on May 22, the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
and Italian Space Agency
Italian Space Agency
The Italian Space Agency is a government agency established in 1988 to fund, regulate and coordinate space exploration activities in Italy...
arranged for a call to Endeavour by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
. During his call—prompted by the discovery of a gash in the shuttle's fuselage—the Pope extended his blessing to Kelly's wife, who had undergone skull surgery earlier in the week. The event marked the first time a Pope spoke to astronauts during the course of a mission.
U2
On June 24, 2011, a prerecorded message by Kelly from the ISS, wished his wife love and introduced U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's song "Beautiful Day" on the first night of the Glastonbury festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A similar message from Kelly aboard the ISS was played during U2's 360° Tour
U2 360° Tour
The U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It was named for a stage configuration that allowed the audience to almost completely surround the stage...
concert stop at various locations. He says: "I'm looking forward to coming home. Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows."
Personal life
Kelly married Amelia Victoria Babis January 7, 1989. They have two daughters, Claudia and Claire, now teenagers. He was divorced from Babis on October 7, 2004.Kelly married U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
of Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, on November 10, 2007, in a ceremony presided over by Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, and attended by his STS-124 shuttle crew and former Secretary of Labor
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is the head of the Department of Labor who exercises control over the department and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies....
Robert Reich
Robert Reich
Robert Bernard Reich is an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997....
. Reich toasted: "To a bride who moves at a velocity that exceeds that of anyone else in Washington, and a groom who moves at a velocity that exceeds 17,000 miles per hour." The couple met on a 2003 trip to China as part of a trade mission sponsored by the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations.
He lives in Houston. At the time of their marriage Kelly said that the longest period of time the two had spent together in one stretch was a couple of weeks. He said that they didn't plan to always live that way, but that's what they were used to. He added, "It teaches you not to sweat the small stuff."
Shooting in Tucson
Kelly's wife, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in an assassination attempt on January 8, 2011, putting Kelly in the national spotlight. On February 4, Kelly described the previous month as the hardest time of his life and he expressed his gratitude for the enormous outpouring of support, good wishes and prayers for his wife. He said that he believed people praying for her helped.Kelly received word that his wife had been shot from an aide of the Congresswoman's almost immediately after the shooting. He flew from Houston to Tucson with members of his family. While en route the Kellys received an erroneous news report that Giffords had died. "The kids, Claudia and Claire started crying. My mother, she almost screamed. I just walked into the bathroom, and you know, broke down." Calling family in Tucson, Kelly found out that the report was false and that she was alive and in surgery. "It was a terrible mistake," Kelly said, "as bad as it was that she had died, it's equally exciting that she hadn't."
From the time he arrived in Tucson, Kelly sat vigil at his wife's bedside as she struggled to survive and began to recover. As her condition began to improve, the Kelly-Giffords family researched options for rehabilitation facilities, and chose a center in Houston. On January 21, Giffords was transferred to an ICU unit at the Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center Hospital
Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is the first hospital founded in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1925, it is the primary teaching hospital for The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and the flagship location of 11 hospitals in the Memorial Hermann Healthcare...
where she spent five days prior to moving to Memorial Hermann's Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, where she continued her recovery and rehabilitation.
Giffords and her husband had spoken dozens of times about how risky her job was. She was afraid that someone would come up to her at a public event with a gun. In an interview filmed just over a week after the shooting Kelly said "She has Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
, in her district, the town that's too tough to die. Gabrielle Giffords is too tough to let this beat her."
Aftermath
A memorial service for those killed was held on January 12, 2011, at the University of Arizona. President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
flew to Tucson to speak at the memorial
Barack Obama Tucson memorial speech
President of the United States Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Together We Thrive: Tucson and America memorial on January 12, 2011, held in the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus....
. Kelly sat between Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st...
, the previous governor of Arizona. At the end of the service President Obama consoled and embraced him, after which Kelly returned to the hospital to be with his wife.
Kelly spoke on February 3, 2011, at the National Prayer Breakfast
National Prayer Breakfast
The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February each year. The founder of this event was Abraham Vereide...
in Washington, D.C. His remarks closed the event where President Obama also spoke. The attack on his wife brought Kelly closer to God and gave him a newfound awareness regarding prayer. Kelly said that prior to the attack, "I thought the world just spins and the clock just ticks and things happen for no particular reason." Kelly said that in Tucson, as he found himself wandering in makeshift memorials and shrines, filled with bibles and angels that "You pray where you are. You pray when God is there in your heart." Kelly offered the final prayer of the morning. The prayer was from Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, who married Kelly and Giffords, and who said the same words over Giffords’ on the night of the shooting:
Kelly believes that there's now a chance to change a political environment he thinks is filled with far too much vitriol. He hoped that the tragedy would also be an opportunity to improve the tone of our national dialogue and cool down the rhetoric. In response to a question on February 4, regarding the discussions about civility in politics Kelly said: "I haven’t spent a lot of time following that but I think that with something that was so horrible and so negative and the fact that six people lost their lives, including a nine-year old girl, a federal judge, Gabby’s staff member Gabe—who was like a younger brother to her—it’s really really a sad situation. I am hopeful that something positive can come out of it. I think that will happen, so those are good things."
Post-NASA plans
On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced that he would be leaving NASA's astronaut corps and the U.S. Navy effective October 1. He cited the needs of his wife during her recovery as a reason for his retirement. Kelly and Giffords announced plans for a joint memoir which would include a discussion of the Tucson shooting. The book was released by ScribnerCharles Scribner's Sons
Charles Scribner's Sons, or simply Scribner, is an American publisher based in New York City, known for publishing a number of American authors including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, Robert A. Heinlein, Thomas Wolfe, George Santayana, John Clellon...
in November 2011. Kelly's retirement has raised speculation that he might run for office in 2012 either for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Jon Kyl
Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son...
who is retiring, or for his wife's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives if her health condition prevents her from running for re-election. Kelly says he is not running for office but he also has not ruled out the possibility.
He plans to make public speaking appearances after his retirement. Kelly says that he will discuss his career as an astronaut and share his and Giffords's "story with audiences in a way that will allow healing and strength to emerge from a tragic event, and to remind everyone about the resiliency of the human spirit."
Awards and decorations
| Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."... (with one bronze oak leaf cluster Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration... ) |
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| Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... |
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| Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Cross The Distinguished Flying Cross may refer to:*Distinguished Flying Cross , including Commonwealth countries*Distinguished Flying Cross... |
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| Air Medal Air Medal The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:... (with valor device Valor device The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor... and three bronze service stars) |
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| Navy Commendation Medal (with valor device and one bronze service star) | |
| Navy Achievement Medal | |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War... (with one bronze service star) |
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| Navy Expeditionary Medal Navy Expeditionary Medal The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy... |
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| National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... (with one bronze service star) |
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| Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... (with one bronze service star) |
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| Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with one bronze service star) | |
| Overseas Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,... |
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| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :... |
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| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient... |
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| NASA Exceptional Service Medal NASA Exceptional Service Medal The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is an award granted to U.S. government employees for significant sustained performance characterized by unusual initiative or creative ability that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, aeronautics, space flight, administration, support, or... |
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| NASA Space Flight Medal NASA Space Flight Medal The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. According to its statutes, it is awarded "for significant achievement or service during individual participation as a civilian or military astronaut, pilot, mission specialist, payload specialist, or... (with three bronze service stars) |
External links
- Official NASA Bio
- Interview with Discovery crew 7/11/2006.
- Launch of STS-124 Discovery 5/31/2008, includes link to video of launch.
- Interview with Mark and Scott Kelly 9/8/2010, NASA video.
- Statement from Mark Kelly 1/10/2011, Kelly's first public statement after the shooting of his wife.
- Kelly's Interview with Diane Sawyer January 2011, ABC News video.
- Kelly's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, 2/3/2011, CBS News video.
- Kelly to Fly on Shuttle Mission 2/4/2011, NASA Press Conference with Mark Kelly, Peggy Whitson and Brent Jett, NASA TV.
- Mark Kelly video for public speaking engagements with Keppler Speakers