Two NASA space shuttle astronauts who flew into orbit four times each were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Tom Akers and Joe Tanner were honored during a morning induction ceremony at KSC and an evening gala May 16 at KSC’s Apollo/Saturn V Center, hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. As the 2026 honorees, they joined the prestigious group of space pioneers in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which now totals 113.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and more than a dozen astronauts, including Eileen Collins, Chris Ferguson and Sandy Magnus, as well as members of Neil Armstrong’s and Jim Lovell’s families attended the evening gala.
“Today’s induction of Tom Akers and Joe Tanner honors two astronauts whose careers embody excellence, leadership, and service,” said Curt Brown, chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, according to a press release. “Their lasting contributions to NASA, and their ongoing work as educators and mentors, reflect the very best of the U.S. space program. We are proud to welcome them into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.”
Multiple trips to space and spacewalks
Tanner spent 1,069 hours in space and more than 46 hours on seven spacewalks, while Akers logged more than 800 hours in space and 29 hours of spacewalk time.
An Illinois native, Tanner served as a U.S. Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot with Light Attack Squadron 94 aboard the USS Coral Sea. He started working for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 1984 as an aerospace engineer and research pilot.
Tanner served as a mission specialist on shuttle missions STS-66 in 1994, STS-82 in 1997, STS-97 in 2000 and STS-115 in 2006.
Akers, who grew up in Missouri, flew U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle and T-38 Talon aircraft while working on a variety of weapons development programs at Eglin Air Force Base near Destin. He flew aboard shuttle missions STS-41 in 1990, STS-49 in 1992, STS-61 in 1993 and STS-79 in 1996.
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is located on the ground floor of the Heroes & Legends building at the KSC Visitor Complex.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Two NASA astronauts inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
Reporting by Staff, Florida Today / Florida Today
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