Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Draws Record Number of Astronauts To Space Coast
Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Among Attendees
The largest contingent
of former astronauts ever to assemble on the Space Coast will be at the
Kennedy Space Center on November 9-10 for the induction of the first four
Space Shuttle astronauts into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
A total of 34 space explorers from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab,
Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle projects will pay tribute to Robert L. Crippen,
Joe H. Engle, Frederick H. “Rick” Hauck and Richard H. Truly. The number will
top the 27 who were at the Hall of Fame for the induction of Apollo astronauts
in October 1997.
“This terrific turnout is a tremendous tribute to these four veteran
shuttle commanders, who will join 44 Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts
already enshrined,” said Apollo 13 commander James A. Lovell, chairman of the
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which is hosting the event, in cooperation
with Delaware North Park Services of Spaceport Inc., which operates the KSC
Visitor Complex.
Throughout the weekend the astronauts will meet with the public, answer
questions and sign autographs. It will be a great opportunity for KSC visitors
to better know these adventurers who carried America’s banner into space and
to the moon in the infancy of space travel.
Visitors also will be delightfully entertained by the music of Max Q-a
group of five current shuttle astronaut musicians who play a variety of music.
The weekend kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday with a pre-induction buffet dinner
and entertainment at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The
enshrinement of the four shuttle astronauts is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, at the
Visitor Complex’s Shuttle Plaza, with Lovell as host. Selected astronauts will
be available to meet the public on Friday evening and Saturday morning. A
schedule will be posted. So that as many space fans as possible can have a
chance to meet an astronaut up close, autographs will be limited to one per
person.
Tickets are still available to the public, either online at
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com, or by phone 321/449-4444. In addition to
the dinner and induction ceremony, they provide visitors with three days’
access, November 9-11, to the KSC Visitor Complex and one day access to the
Astronaut Hall of Fame in nearby Titusville. The entire package is a real
value at $85 for adults, $60, children ages 3-11.
Astronauts scheduled to be here are Buzz Aldrin, Andrew Allen, Bill
Anders, Frank Borman, Vance Brand, KSC Director Roy Bridges, Scott Carpenter,
Jerry Carr, Gordon Cooper, Bob Crippen, Brian Duffy, Sam Durrance, Joe Engle,
Owen Garriott, Fred Haise, Rick Hauck, Joe Kerwin, Jim Lovell, Jim McDivitt,
Bruce Melnick, Ed Mitchell, Bill Pogue, Wally Schirra, Rusty Schweickart,
Loren Shriver, Dick Truly, Paul Weitz, Al Worden, John Young and the Max Q
band.
Crippen, Engle, Hauck and Truly were selected for induction by a blue
ribbon committee of former NASA flight directors and officials, space
journalists, a space historian and the director of the Smithsonian’s National
Air & Space Museum. The committee was appointed by the Astronaut Scholarship
Foundation.
