NASA astronaut candidate class includes DeBary Marine

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A retired Marine from DeBary is one of 10 members of NASA’s new astronaut candidates class

Luke Delaney, a retired major with the U.S. Marine Corps, grew up in Debary, Florida.

The 42-year-old, graduated Deltona High School in 1997.

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Luke Delaney was born in Miami, Florida, but considers Debary, Florida to be his hometown. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

Delaney received a degree in mechanical engineering from University of North Florida before getting his master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

This is the first new class of astronaut candidates in four years for NASA.

Candidates were chosen from more than 12,000 applicants from all 50 states and U.S territories

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Speaking from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the 2021 astronaut class, the first new class in four years, represents the future of America’s space program.

“Today we welcome 10 new explorers, 10 members of the Artemis generation, NASA’s 2021 astronaut candidate class. Alone, each candidate has ‘the right stuff,’ but together they represent the creed of our country.” Nelson said.

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Once the candidates report for duty, they will begin two years of intensive training in a variety of skills such as operating and maintaining the International Space Station, spacewalks, and Russian, just to name a few.

Former NASA astronaut and deputy administrator Pam Melroy highlighted the diverse backgrounds of candidates.

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“You bring diversity in so many forms to our astronaut corps and you stepped up to one of the highest and most exciting forms of public service,” Melroy said.

More information about the 2021 astronaut candidates and the selection process can be found here.

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Jessica A. Wittner, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy. A California native, she holds a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona, Tucson, and a master’s in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Jack Hathaway, Commander, U.S. Navy. A Connecticut native earned bachelors’ degrees in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and completed graduate studies at Cranfield University, England, and the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Nichole “Vapor” Ayers, Major, U.S. Air Force - The Colorado native graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She later earned a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston. As one of the few women currently flying the F-22 Raptor, Ayers led the first-ever all-woman F-22 formation in combat in 2019. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Christina Birch, Ph.D. graduated from the University of Arizona, Tucson, with degrees in mathematics and biochemistry and molecular biophysics. After earning a doctorate in biological engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Deniz Burnham is a former intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, Burnham is a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and serves in the Navy Reserves. She holds degrees in chemical and mechanical engineering (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Andre Douglas Ph.D. holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a master’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, and a doctorate in systems engineering from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Luke Delaney (Major, USMC, Ret.) holds degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and was a distinguished naval aviator participating in exercises throughout the Asia Pacific region and conducting combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Christopher L. Williams, Ph.D. graduated from Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, with a bachelor’s degree in physics in 2005 and a doctorate in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Marcos Gabriel Berríos, Ph.D., Major, U.S. Air Force holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA announces astronaut candidate class for 2021 Anil Menon, M.D., Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force was SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, helping to launch its first humans to space during the Demo-2 mission and building a medical organization to support the human system during future missions. Prior, he served NASA as the crew flight surgeon for various expeditions on the International Space Station. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

NASA Selects New Astronaut Recruits to Train for Future Missions NASA announced its 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class, pictured here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are: U.S. Air Force Maj. Nichole Ayers, Christopher Williams, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. (retired.) Luke Delaney, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Wittner, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Anil Menon, U.S. Air Force Maj. Marcos Berríos, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jack Hathaway, Christina Birch, U.S. Navy Lt. Deniz Burnham, and Andre Douglas. (ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC/NASA)

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