Mark D. Kelly

Mark D. Kelly is an American politician, retired United States Navy captain, former NASA astronaut, and author serving as the junior United States Senator from Arizona since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station. Prior to his political career, he was a naval aviator who flew combat missions during the Gulf War and later served as a test pilot.

Early life and education

Mark Daniel Kelly was born in Orange, New Jersey, and was raised alongside his identical twin brother, fellow astronaut Scott Kelly, in West Orange, New Jersey. His parents, both New York City Police Department officers, instilled a strong sense of public service. He graduated from Mountain High School before receiving an appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering and Nautical Science in 1986, which concurrently led to his commission as an ensign in the United States Navy.

Military and NASA career

Kelly’s naval career began with flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, leading to designation as a naval aviator. He flew the A-6E Intruder and later the F/A-18 Hornet with Attack Squadron 115 aboard the USS ''Midway'' during the Gulf War, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. He subsequently attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and earned a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Postgraduate School. Selected by NASA in 1996, he served as a pilot on STS-108 in 2001 and STS-121 in 2006, both resupply missions to the International Space Station. He commanded STS-124 in 2008, delivering the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo, and his final mission was commanding STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of Space Shuttle ''Endeavour''.

Post-NASA career and public service

Following his retirement from NASA and the Navy, Kelly became an aerospace and defense consultant and a vocal advocate for gun control following the 2011 Tucson shooting that critically injured his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. He co-founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, later known as Giffords, a political action committee. In 2019, he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2020 special election, defeating incumbent Republican Martha McSally. He won a full term in the 2022 election. In the Senate, he serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging.

Personal life

Kelly married his first wife, Amelia Babis, in 1989; they had two daughters before divorcing in 2004. He began dating Gabrielle Giffords in 2003, and they married in 2007 at the Green Valley ranch of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Their relationship and her recovery from the assassination attempt were detailed in their joint memoir, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. Kelly is also the author of several children's books, including the Mousetronaut series, and a memoir, Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, co-written with his brother.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Kelly has received numerous military and civilian decorations. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and multiple Air Medals and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals. From NASA, he received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the NASA Space Flight Medal on four occasions. He has also been awarded honorary doctorates from institutions including the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:American astronauts Category:United States Navy officers Category:United States Senators from Arizona Category:Democratic Party United States Senators Category:People from Orange, New Jersey Category:United States Merchant Marine Academy alumni Category:United States Naval Postgraduate School alumni