Astronaut Appearances

NASA selects astronauts from a diverse pool of applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds, from scientists to pilots. From the thousands of applications received, only a few are chosen to be a member of the elite NASA Astronaut Corps. Each day at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visitors get the rare opportunity to meet a veteran NASA astronaut.

Meet the Astronaut of the Day at any of the following opportunities.  See the Daily Schedule for the times for each when you arrive.

• The daily Astronaut Encounter briefings allow time for a presentation from the astronaut and a question-and-answer session, so be prepared to ask him or her what you have always wanted to know.
• Visitors can also get an astronaut’s autograph at The Space Shop and Shuttle Express at various times during the day.
• During the all-new Chat With An Astronaut, enjoy a sampling of food and beverages while having a group conversation with the Astronaut of the Day about what it is really like to live and work in space. This new add-on enhancement requires daily admission.

Astronaut Bio:

• From Stockton, California.
• Degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the Pacific and the University of California-Santa Barbara
• He worked at Lawrence-Livermore National Laboratory from 1987 – 2001 in a wide array of engineering and materials sciences assignments.
• In 2001, he worked at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, performing a series of technical assignments in engineering and materials processing.
• Selected by NASA in 2004.
• Flew on STS-128 in 2009; a mission featuring a crew rotation and equipment transfer to the International Space Station.