Veteran NASA Astronauts Bernard Harris and Peggy Whitson Inducted Into U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

Harris and Whitson included in 26th class of honorees

Veteran NASA astronauts Bernard Harris and Peggy Whitson were inducted into the prestigious U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame – marking the 26^th class of honorees to join the esteemed society. NASA Image

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Veteran NASA astronauts Bernard Harris and Peggy Whitson were inducted today into the prestigious U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame – marking the 26^th class of honorees to join the esteemed society.

The ceremony was held at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of the space shuttle Atlantis.

Harris and Whitson were honored for their outstanding accomplishments in furthering NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery.

Their induction brings the total number of astronauts in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame to 111. Whitson was not in attendance as she prepares to launch into space with Axiom-4 on June 8.

Delivering remarks to officially welcome the astronauts to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame were Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which stewards the selection process each year; Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, home of the Hall of Fame; and Kelvin Manning, Acting Director for Kennedy Space Center.

More than 33 veteran astronauts, many of whom have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame, attended the ceremony.

“Harris and Whitson truly represent the courage, adventurous spirit, and dedication to exploration that are vital for success in the space program,” Brown said.

“With their remarkable achievements and contributions to the field, it’s only appropriate to welcome them into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where they join the legacy of space trailblazers to receive this prestigious honor.”

Both Harris and Whitson had careers with NASA that extended beyond their time as astronauts, with Harris working for NASA for 10 years and Whitson for 37 years.

Each has continued to work in their respective fields with a focus on their love of space and science

Bernard Harris, MD, MBA, FACP, STS-55 & STS-63

Since 1986, Dr. Harris has served the space program at NASA’s Ames Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Flight Center, and Headquarters in various roles, including research scientist, flight surgeon, astronaut, and advisor. During his NASA career, Dr. Bernard Harris conducted research in musculoskeletal physiology and clinical investigations of space adaptation, developing in-flight medical devices to extend Astronaut stays in space.

A veteran astronaut for more than thirty years, Harris served as a mission specialist on STS-55 and was the Payload Commander on STS-63. He has logged more than 438 hours and traveled more than 7.2 million miles in space.

On February 9, 1995, Harris became the first African American to perform an extra-vehicular activity during the second of his two Space Shuttle flights.

Harris is currently CEO & Managing Partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc. – a venture capital firm that invests in early to mid-stage Healthcare technologies and companies. Previously, he served as CEO and Executive Director of the National Math and Science Initiative, leading the organization’s efforts to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement in communities nationwide. He has been involved in math and science education for over 25 years through his philanthropy as the founder of the Harris Institute and Foundation.

A member of the Board of Directors for Raytheon Technologies, MassMutual, Solventum, and U.S. Physical Therapy, Harris also served as a Board Director/Trustee for Salient Midstream & MLP Fund and Salient MF Trust, Barings Fund, and BBDC. Additionally, he is on the nonprofit boards of the Texas Medical Center (past Chair), the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and the Harris Institute & Foundation.

Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston, and a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine.

Harris completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in Endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center. He trained as a Flight Surgeon at the Aerospace School of Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base. He is also a licensed private pilot and certified scuba diver.

Harris has received numerous prestigious awards. Among them are nine honorary doctorates, two NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Award of Merit, the National Space Grant Distinguished Services Award, and the James Bryant Conant Award.

He is also a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the recipient of the 2000 Horatio Alger Award, and the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to his other notable accomplishments, Harris is the author of “Dream Walker: A Journey of Achievement and Inspiration” and “Embracing Infinite Possibilities: Letting Go Of Fear To Find Your Highest Potential”.

Peggy Whitson, Ph.D., STS-111, ISS Expedition 5, STS-113, ISS Expedition 16, ISS Expedition 50/51/52

Peggy Whitson, Ph.D., grew up on a farm outside of Beaconsfield, Iowa, with her siblings and parents, who were farmers. She decided to become an astronaut after she watched the first moon landing on television as a child in 1969.

As an astronaut, she flew on three NASA long-duration space flights. She served as commander of Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), accumulating 675 days in space, more than any other American astronaut or woman astronaut in the world.

Whitson has more than 38 years of space and science experience,e combined with NASA and Axiom Space. Throughout her career, she has held various positions, including NASA’s Chief of the Astronaut Office, two-time Commander of the International Space Station (ISS), Chair of NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board, NASA Operations Branch Chief, NASA Deputy Division Chief for both Medical Sciences and the Astronaut Office, and co-chair of the US/Russian Mission Science Working Group.

During her three NASA missions to the ISS (Expeditions 5, 16, and 50/51/52), Whitson conducted 10 spacewalks – totaling more than 60 hours – and performed hundreds of research experiments.

On her first long-duration ISS mission on Expedition 5, she was named the first NASA science officer, conducting 21 investigations in human life sciences and microgravity sciences, as well as commercial payloads. Throughout her career, she has contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical and Earth science, and welcomed several cargo spacecraft delivering tons of supplies and research experiments.

On Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), she became the first female commander of a private astronaut mission, adding to her accomplishments as the first female commander of the ISS and the first female and nonmilitary Chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. Whitson will command her second commercial human spaceflight mission to the ISS, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), targeted to launch no earlier than spring 2025 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Whitson received degrees in biology and chemistry from Iowa Wesleyan University and a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Rice University. She has been honored with various NASA medals in leadership, outstanding leadership, and exceptional service, as well as National Air and Space Museum’s Micheal Collins Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), Forbes 50 Over 50, Innovation (2023), Glamour’s Woman of the Year (2017), TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World (2018), and Women in Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award (2017) among numerous other prestigious awards.

U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Process and Eligibility

Each year, inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation administers the process. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 15 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained Space Shuttle Commander, Pilot, Mission Specialist, or an International Space Station (ISS) Commander or Flight Engineer who has orbited the Earth at least once.

The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was spearheaded more than 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. In November 2016, a new U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as part of the Heroes & Legends attraction.

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) participated in creating a venue where space travelers could be remembered – the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which opened in 1990. Today, the foundation serves as a consultant for the Hall of Fame, which includes conducting the selection process of astronauts for enshrinement by an outside committee.

The Foundation’s mission is to aid the U.S. in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships to extraordinary college students who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in these fields, and facilitate programs to educate the public about the impact and importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the United States.

Since the inception of ASF, more than $9 million in scholarships have been distributed to more than 850 exceptional students in the fields of STEM at 48 university partners across the country with support from astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs who participate in this educational endeavor.

For more information, visit www.AstronautScholarship.org.

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