Event Details
Payload Blog
Meet Astronaut Norm Thagard
Feb 16, 2024 - Feb 19, 2024 Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexNASA 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.
ABOUT nORM tHAGARD:
- From Jacksonville, Florida
- Holds Bachelor’s and Master's Degrees in Engineering Science from Florida State University and received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Texas Southwestern Medical School.
- As a captain in the United States Marine Corps, he was designated as a Naval Aviator in 1968
- Flew 163 combat missions in the Vietnam War
- Has logged over 2,200 flight hours
- Selected by NASA in 1978 as part of the first group of space shuttle astronauts
- Has flown five spaceflights:
- STS-7 in 1983 - Deployed 2 satellites and the first deployment and retrieval of the SPAS-01 satellite.
- STS-51B in 1985- Spacelab-3 mission
- STS-30 in 1989 - Deploy of the Magellan satellite to Venus
- STS-42 in 1992- International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (Payload Commander)
- Mir-18 in 1995 - First American Cosmonaut Researcher with 115 days in space
Meet Astronaut Norm Thagard
MissionsSTS-7 Challenger
STS-51B Challenger
STS-30 Atlantis
STS-42 Discovery