born february retired american astronaut engineer captain husband author political activist executive consultant naval aviator kelly flew combat missions gulf war selected nasa space shuttle pilot flew mission pilot piloted commanded final mission final mission space shuttle wife target attempted assassination arizona january shooting people killed kelly thrust media spotlight wife shooting led broad national conversation ranging duties husband acceptable civil discourse kelly identical twin brother astronaut kelly brothers siblings traveled space began mission spending year space international space station returned earth march days space scott year long mission brothers studied find differences living earth space early life education son richard retired police officers born february orange new_jersey raised new_jersey kelly graduated received degree nautical science united_states merchant marine academy graduating highest honors received master science degree naval career december kelly naval aviator received initial training attack aircraft assigned japan deployments aircraft carrier flying combat missions receiving master degree attended june june logged hours different aircraft carrier landings recipient following awards individual strike flight combat distinguished combat navy achievement medal navy expeditionary medal ribbon june kelly announced retirement nasa effective october retirement announced facebook page wrote words convey deep gratitude opportunities given serve great nation day entered united_states merchant marine academy summer moment landed space shuttle weeks ago privilege advance ideals define united_states_of_america nasa career brother scott selected shuttle pilots nasa joined nasa astronaut corps august year logged days space flight space shuttle discovery second mission loss space shuttle columbia kelly discussed risks flying space shuttle space shuttle complex machine got lot moving parts operate pretty limit able engineer risky think regards tank reduced risk changed design little bit pretty big trying foam shed tank anymore risk reduction guess overall risk probably little risky business got big reward everybody board discovery space station thinks worthwhile experience kelly trip space pilot delays lifted december final shuttle mission visited delivering tons equipment supplies fresh crew outpost opened december enabling crew members greet expedition crew officially ended day residency board december custom seat liners transferred return trip home transfer expedition seat liners return vehicle attached station marked official exchange crews shuttle robotic arm lift shuttle bay attach berth station unity crews began unloading supplies day mission managers extended flight duration days allow crew assist additional maintenance tasks station including work replacing failed air change command ceremony took place december expedition ended expedition began returned earth previous crew men kelly traveled million miles earth times days hours july kelly served pilot discovery second return flight mission following loss columbia february weather delays shuttle mission launch fourth july main purposes mission test new safety repair techniques introduced following columbia disaster deliver supplies equipment astronaut germany transfer returned station crew member level mission crew discovery continued test new equipment procedures inspection repair thermal protection system designed increase safety delivered supplies cargo future expansion columbia accident nasa decided test flights required activities originally assigned need divided missions addition safety tests kelly girlfriend time picked wake songs mission beautiful day kelly traveled million miles earth times days hours discovery kelly mission commander month prior discussed shuttle commander entailed different previous missions flights pilot commander different responsible overall mission worry thing training drill crew members getting mission success mission safety comprehensive job requires time little bit surprised think rewarding mission second shuttle missions carry components japan laboratory means hope japanese laboratory japan primary contribution prior kelly said prepared event today discoveries definitely offer hope tomorrow stand greatest earth launch sustained substantial damage seen previous launch following discovered bricks mortar launch pad base thrown far perimeter fence distance feet kelly crew delivered module module largest component laboratory station largest module discovery delivered important delivered replacement station toilet single toilet week creating potentially problem crew kelly entered station joked looking referring broken toilet mission marked time member traveled space kelly traveled million miles earth times days hours launched april launch attempt kelly wife traveled florida trip moving houston january attempted assassination appearance kennedy space center gave launch high profile anticipated years according new_york_times president obama visited april trip original intention watching launch kelly commander mission crew delivered alpha magnetic mission delays caused external tank issues discovery mark twin brother went october scheduled station scott mission potential rendezvous space kelly brothers meeting blood relatives space delay launch ended possibility happening shooting wife status commander unclear nasa announced february kelly remain commander mission remarkable progress wife making recovery helped kelly decision return training nasa stated confident ability successfully lead mission know speak nasa saying welcome papal blessing arranged pope prompted discovery shuttle fuselage pope extended blessing kelly wife undergone skull surgery earlier week event marked time pope spoke course mission june message kelly wished wife love song lyrics david_bowie space introduced song beautiful day night festival england similar message kelly aboard played tour concert stop locations says looking forward coming home tell wife love knows retirement nasa june kelly announced leaving nasa astronaut corps effective october cited needs wife recovery reason retirement author story courage love wife book provides biographical information couple describes detail assassination attempt initial recovery written kelly voice includes short note end kelly second book children book released new_york_times number bestseller followed sequel year goes mars kelly authored fight america safe gun violence wrote project fictional story twins scott mark build space capsule backyard try send kid orbit dedicated book real twin brother astronaut published work kelly director based near space exploration company march announced independent safety advisory panel composed leading human safety experts political activist january kelly started political action committee called americans responsible solutions mission organization promote solutions elected officials general public couple states supports second amendment promoting responsible gun ownership keeping guns hands dangerous people like criminals terrorists mentally ill current gun laws allow private sellers legally sell guns background check creating provides criminals mentally ill easy access guns kelly said march bill include universal background check mistake common sense thing prevent criminals mentally ill having access weapons proposals kelly include limiting sale high capacity magazines limiting sale assault weapons stopping gun trafficking denied sale rifle shop owner denied kelly purchase stating disagreement kelly previous statements gun laws kelly stated purchasing order turn weapon police department april kelly photographed mother law house arizona watching cheering millimeter target practice gun belongs owned prior attempt life type gun january shooting speaker kelly active public speaker personal life kelly married january divorced daughters kelly married arizona november ceremony presided aaron attended shuttle crew secretary labor bride moves velocity exceeds washington groom moves velocity exceeds miles hour couple met trip china trade mission sponsored time lived houston time marriage kelly said longest period time spent stretch couple weeks said didn plan live way added teaches sweat small stuff shooting kelly wife representative shot assassination attempt january putting kelly national spotlight february kelly described previous month hardest time life expressed gratitude enormous support good wishes prayers wife said believed people praying helped kelly received word wife shot aide immediately shooting flew houston members family route received erroneous news report died kids claire started crying mother walked bathroom know broke calling family kelly found report false alive surgery terrible mistake kelly said bad died equally exciting hadn time arrived kelly sat wife struggled survive began recover condition began improve family researched options rehabilitation facilities chose houston january transferred memorial spent days prior moving continued recovery rehabilitation husband spoken dozens times risky job afraid come public event gun interview filmed week shooting kelly said arizona district town tough die tough let beat aftermath memorial service killed held january president barack_obama flew speak memorial kelly sat lady secretary previous governor arizona end service president obama embraced kelly returned hospital wife kelly spoke february washington remarks closed event president obama spoke attack wife brought kelly closer god gave newfound awareness prayer kelly said prior attack thought world spins clock things happen particular reason kelly said found wandering makeshift memorials filled angels pray pray god heart kelly offered final prayer morning prayer aaron married kelly said words night shooting god god israel michael god angel messenger compassion watch right god angel messenger strength courage left guiding path god angel light supporting stands god angel healing head surrounding presence divine kelly believes chance change political environment thinks filled far hoped tragedy opportunity improve tone national dialogue cool rhetoric response question february discussions politics kelly said haven spent lot time following think horrible negative fact people lost lives including year old girl federal judge staff member like younger brother sad situation hopeful positive come think happen good things awards decorations naval pilot astronaut badge
Mark Kelly