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Open: 9 AM to 6 PM
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Astronaut Appearance

Meet Astronaut Kathy Thornton

Universe Theater

MonMondayMay 26
TueTuesdayMay 27
WedWednesdayMay 28
ThuThursdayMay 29
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Included with Admission

Kathryn C. Thornton headshot
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Get the rare opportunity to meet a veteran NASA astronaut every day at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Meet the Astronaut of the Day at any of the following opportunities:  

  • Astronaut Encounter – During these presentations, hear from the Astronaut of the Day about his or her unique experience living and working in space. Have your questions ready after the presentation. Astronaut Encounter is included with admission. 
  • Chat With An Astronaut – Enjoy a sampling of food and beverages while having a small-group conversation with the Astronaut of the Day about what it is really like to live and work in space. Chat With An Astronaut can be purchased in addition to admission. 
  • Autograph signings – get the astronaut’s autograph at The Space Shop and Shuttle Express at various times during the day. 

 See the Daily Schedule for the times for each when you arrive.

Learn more about this Astronaut of the Day below.

Kathryn C. Thornton headshot

Kathryn C. Thornton

Kathryn Thornton, a veteran astronaut and UVA Professor Emerita, has logged over 975 hours in space, including a record-setting mission on the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour and four space walks.

Kathryn C. Thornton, Professor Emerita at the University of Virginia, is a distinguished astronaut and educator. Selected by NASA in 1984, she flew on four space missions, logging over 975 hours in space and more than 21 hours of extravehicular activity. Her notable missions included the first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, a classified Department of Defense mission, and satellite rescue and microgravity experiments.

After leaving NASA in 1996, Thornton became a professor at the University of Virginia, where she worked for 22 years before retiring to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2019. Her contributions to space exploration and education earned her numerous awards, including induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010. Currently, she serves on the boards of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and remains active in the aerospace community.

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