The Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex got an extra special visit Thursday by 12 of the astronauts who flew into space on the orbiter.
The 12 Atlantis astronauts, listed below, gathered Thursday to participate in a special "Lunch with an Astronaut" event, the first of its kind.
- Clayton Anderson
- Bo Bobko
- John Creighton
- Hoot Gibson
- Fred Gregory
- Ken Ham
- Mike McCulley
- Jerry Ross
- Brian Duffy
- Bob Springer
- Dan Tani
- Charlie Walker
The sold-out lunch featured an astronaut at each table, talking face-to-face with diners about their experiences in space.
Each astronaut also participated in a separate "Mini Mission Recap" at the KSC Visitor Complex, highlighting their missions on board the shuttle Atlantis.
"It's an amazing experience to be able to stand in a room with astronauts," said Tonya George, of Merritt Island. "They've gone to space, and that is, to me, the most incredible experience."
The astronauts also looked ahead toward the future of U.S. spaceflight.
"With the International Space Station, we've got American astronauts that are orbiting the Earth right now, right at this moment, every day of the year," said veteran astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson, who flew on five shuttle missions, including two on Atlantis. "I think we have a bright future in exploration. The SLS, Space Launch System, is going to give us a capability to go beyond orbit."
Information from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was used in this report.