Arizona State University professor to be inducted into Astronaut Hall of Fame
May 14, 2016, 8:00 AM
Scott Parazynski, left, and Brian Duffy, ahead of their inductions into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. (Twitter/@AstroScholarFdn)
(Twitter/@AstroScholarFdn)
PHOENIX — An Arizona State University professor and astronaut is being hailed for his work in the astronautics industry, including an 8-week period that he spent in space.
Scott Parazynski, a University Explorer and professor of practice at the university’s School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering and School of Earth and Space Exploration, will be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame on Saturday, according to ASU Now.
Congratulations to astronaut Scott Parazynski on his induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame!@AstroScholarFdn pic.twitter.com/dkyCqtIQmr
— AmericaSpace (@AmericaSpace) May 14, 2016
Parazynski has been part of five space shuttle flights, logged more than eight weeks in outer space and participated in seven spacewalks — no simple task, even for the most experienced of astronauts.
His induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame marks his significant influence within the industry, joining the likes of John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and, of course, Neil Armstrong.
Parazynski said in an interview with ASU Now that the announcement was a “surprise,” but he is “thrilled to be included amongst all the folks I’ve looked up to for so many years.”
One of the spacewalks that Parazynski went on is considered one of the most dangerous in the history of spacewalking.
During his fourth spacewalk, he went on a mission to repair a torn solar array wing — but had to venture further out from the space station’s airlock than any other orbiting astronaut in order to do so.
Luckily, Parazynski was able to repair the wing and retreat back to the space station before the darkness of outer space consumed him.
“It’s the ultimate human exploration experience, to float above your planet, and see it from that perspective and to go on a spacewalk,” he said in an interview with ASU Now. “I really miss that and I wish I hadn’t had to hang up my space suit. It was time for me to get out of the way of the new recruits and to move on to other things.”
Parazynski and fellow former astronaut Brian Duffy will be inducted into the hall of fame with a ceremony at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on Saturday.
