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2013 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Celebration on April 20
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Features Exclusive Astronaut Meet-and-Greet Opportunity
2013 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Celebration on April 20

This year�s Astronaut Hall of Fame inductees, Brown, Collins and Dunbar, are being welcomed to the ranks of legendary space pioneers like Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Jim Lovell, Sally Ride and John Young � all distinguished members of the Hall of Fame. Earlier inductees represent the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz programs. The addition of Brown, a veteran of six space shuttle flights; Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a space shuttle; and Dunbar, who served as a shuttle mission specialist and payload commander, brings the number of space explorers enshrined in the Hall of Fame to 85.
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2013 Astronaut Hall of Fame Inductees (L-R) Curtis Brown, Eileen Collins and Bonnie Dunbar

The 2013 Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Package includes admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and a private meet-and-greet opportunity with Hall of Fame astronauts John Blaha, Robert �Hoot� Gibson, Jeffery Hoffman and Loren Shriver, all of whom flew on space shuttle Atlantis, and a commemorative poster autographed by Brown, Collins and Dunbar. The package also includes reserved seating at the ceremony, only available to ticket package holders. The 2013 Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Package is $74.99 plus tax for adults and $64.99 plus tax for children ages 3-11. Commander�s Club annual passholders can enjoy the private meet-and-greet opportunity, reserved seating at the ceremony and an autographed poster for $24.99.

As a special addition to this year�s induction program, former Girl Scouts and Hall of Fame astronauts Eileen Collins and Kathyrn Thornton are holding a private audience for Girl Scouts. Collins, the first female space shuttle commander and Thornton, the first woman space walker, will share how their experiences as Girls Scouts prepared them to be astronauts. The Girl Scout Legends Program tickets are $21 plus tax for youth and $45.50 plus tax for adults, and are only available to Girl Scouts and their chaperones. A limited number of seats for this program are available.

Regular Visitor Complex admission on April 20 includes a standing room only public viewing area of the induction ceremony and access to two public autograph signing opportunities with Hall of Fame astronauts Thornton and Bob Crippen, the pilot of the first orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Program and commander of three additional shuttle flights. Regular admission is $50 plus tax for adults and $40 plus tax for children ages 3-11. For more information on the 2013 Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction or to purchase your ticket, please call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
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Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction schedule of events: |
9-9:30 a.m.	|||||	Girl Scout Legends Program with Eileen Collin and Kathyrn Thornton
10-10:45 a.m.	|||||	Public signing with Kathyrn Thornton
10:30-11:15 a.m.	|||||	Private meet-and-greet with Atlantis astronauts John Blaha, Robert �Hoot� Gibson, Jeffery Hoffman and Loren Shriver
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.	|||||	Public signing with Bob Crippen
2-3:30 p.m.	|||||	Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASA Central

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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex welcomes these former Atlantis astronauts to the Hall of Fame in the same year as the opening of Atlantis� new home, Space Shuttle Atlantis. The $100-million, 90,000 square-foot interactive experience, opens June 29 and tells the dramatic story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlights the future of space exploration.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. Closing times vary by season. Admission includes the Kennedy Space Center Tour, featuring an actual Saturn V moon rocket, Shuttle Launch Experience, two 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter, Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted and all exhibits. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world�s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia opens daily at noon and closing times vary by season. Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Commander�s Club Annual Pass is $63 + tax for adults and $53 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

About the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation participated in creating a venue where space travelers could be remembered � the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which opened in 1990. Today, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation serves as a consultant for the Hall of Fame, which includes conducting the selection process of astronauts for enshrinement by an outside committee. The Foundation�s mission is to aid the U.S. in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships to exceptional college students who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in these fields. ASF funds twenty-eight $10,000 scholarships annually and has awarded $3.5 million to deserving students nationwide. More than 100 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs participate in this educational endeavor. For more information, call 321-455-7012 or log on to www.AstronautScholarship.org.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts is an industry leader providing Stewardship and Hospitality in Special Places (SM), with hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations at historic and scenic properties in North America and Australia. The company operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks, including The Ahwahnee and other Yosemite lodges; Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite & the Cottages at Tenaya Lodge; Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa in British Columbia; Niagara Falls State Park; The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ohio; Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga; Holiday Inn West Yellowstone, Gray Wolf Inn & Suites and Yellowstone Park Hotel. The company also owns and operates five luxury resorts in Australia: Lizard Island Resort, Heron Island Resort, Wilson Island Resort, Kings Canyon Resort and El Questro Homestead and Wilderness Park. To learn more about Delaware North Companies� hospitality management expertise, visit www.ExperienceDNC.com. To learn more about Delaware North Parks & Resorts, visit www.DelawareNorth.com/Parks-and-Resorts.aspx.

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.6 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.
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Media Contact:
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Andrea Farmer, 321-449-4318
Catherine Segar, 321-449-4273

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