We are proud to welcome retired NASA astronaut and decorated U.S. Navy Captain Mark Kelly as a member of the LPL External Advisory Board.

An experienced pilot who flew combat missions during the Gulf War, Mark Kelly became a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996. He went on to pilot STS-108 (2001) and  STS-121 (2006); he commanded STS-124 (2008) and STS-134 (2011). STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour. 

Captain Kelly is familiar with LPL and its history, having narrated Desert Moon, the documentary about LPL and the start of the space program. He is the author of two very successful children's books: Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story (2012) and its sequel, Mousetronaut Goes to Mars (2013). He and his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, live in Tucson. Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott, is also an astronaut and is currently spending a year on the International Space Station.