Bill Owens of the Closeout Crew is seen as he leads Artemis II crewmembers CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; and Christina Koch, mission specialist; out of at the elevator towards the crew access arm at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher as they prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For this operation, the Artemis II crew and launch teams are simulating the launch day timeline including suit-up, walkout, and spacecraft ingress and egress. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; are led by Bill Owens of the Closeout Crew from the elevator at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher to the crew access arm as they prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For this operation, the Artemis II crew and launch teams are simulating the launch day timeline including suit-up, walkout, and spacecraft ingress and egress. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Bill Owens of the Closeout Crew leads the Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; from the elevator at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher to the crew access arm as they prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For this operation, the Artemis II crew and launch teams are simulating the launch day timeline including suit-up, walkout, and spacecraft ingress and egress. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, new inductee Bruce McCandless (left) receives the medal from Chairman Owen Garriott. Seen behind them are current Hall of Famers Walt Cunningham and Bill Anders (at left), Al Worden (center), and Charlie Duke and Jack Lousma. The other new inductees are Joe Allen and Gordon Fullerton. The event is being held in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Apollo_Saturn V Center. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Owen Garriott, chairman of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, speaks to guests at the Induction Ceremony of three new additions to the Hall of Fame: Gordon Fullerton, Bruce McCandless and Joe Allen. Seated on stage are current Hall of Famers, from left in the back row, Charles Duke, Jack Lousma, Bill Pogue, Dan Brandenstein, Robert “Hoot” Gibson and Stephen Covey; in front row, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Vance Brand. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

Members of the Artemis II closeout crew, from left, William Sattler; Tyler Sutherland; Michael Heinemann; Christian Warriner; Taylor Hose; Jenni Gibbons, Artemis II backup crew member; Bill Owens; and Andre Douglas, Artemis II backup crew member, pose for a photo with NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building behind them at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2025. The closeout crew is responsible for safely securing the astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft on launch day and closing the hatch during launch countdown.

Members of the Artemis II closeout crew, from left, William Sattler; Tyler Sutherland; Michael Heinemann; Jenni Gibbons, Artemis II backup crew member; Bill Owens; Taylor Hose; Andre Douglas, Artemis II backup crew member; and Christian Warriner pose for a photo near the countdown clock featuring the Artemis Moon logo at the NASA News Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2025. The closeout crew is responsible for safely securing the astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft on launch day and closing the hatch during launch countdown.

Members of the Artemis II closeout crew, from left, William Sattler; Tyler Sutherland; Michael Heinemann; Christian Warriner; Taylor Hose; Jenni Gibbons, Artemis II backup crew member; Bill Owens; and Andre Douglas, Artemis II backup crew member, pose for a photo with NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building behind them at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2025. The closeout crew is responsible for safely securing the astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft on launch day and closing the hatch during launch countdown.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Owen Garriott, chairman of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, waits to address guests at the Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Apollo_Saturn V Center. Hall of Famers seated on stage are (from left, back row), Dick Gordon, Walt Cunningham, Bill Anders, Ed Mitchell, Al Worden, Charles Duke, Jack Lousma, Bill Pogue, Robert Crippen, Dan Brandenstein, Robert “Hoot” Gibson and Stephen Covey. In front are (left to right) Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Vance Brand. The new inductees (not pictured) are Gordon Fullerton, Bruce McCandless and Joe Allen. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the Astronaut Hall of Fame are applauded by the guests at the Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Apollo_Saturn V Center. From left are Al Gordon, John Young, Walt Cunningham, Bill Anders, Owen Garriott, Ed Mitchell, Gordon Fullerton, Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Joe Allen, Jack Lousma, Bruce McCandless, Bill Pogue, Robert Crippen, Jim Lovell, Dan Brandenstein, Robert “Hoot” Gibson, Fred Haise, and Stephen Covey. Not pictured are Scott Carpenter and Vance Brand. McCandless, Allen and Fullerton are the 2005 inductees. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, new inductee Bruce McCandless speaks to the guests. Seen behind him are current Hall of Famers (back row) Al Gordon, Walt Cunningham, Jack Lousma, Bill Pogue, Robert Crippen, Dan Brandenstein and Robert “Hoot” Gibson; (front row) Scott Carpenter, John Young, Owen Garriott, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Vance Brand. Garriott is chairman of the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The other new inductees are Joe Allen and Gordon Fullerton. The event is being held in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Apollo_Saturn V Center. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Owen Garriott, chairman of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, speaks to guests at the Induction Ceremony of three new additions to the Hall of Fame: Gordon Fullerton, Bruce McCandless and Joe Allen. Seated on stage are current Hall of Famers, from left in the back row, Dick Gordon, Walt Cunningham, Bill Anders, Ed Mitchell, Al Worden, Charles Duke, Jack Lousma, Bill Pogue, Robert Crippen, Dan Brandenstein, Robert “Hoot” Gibson and Stephen Covey. In front, from left, are Master of Ceremonies LeVar Burton, who starred in the television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and Hall of Famers Scott Carpenter and John Young, and at right, Jim Lovell and Fred Haise. The ceremony is being held in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Apollo_Saturn V Center. Recognized for their individual flight accomplishments and contributions to the success and future success of the U.S. space program, this elite group of inductees is among only 60 astronauts to be honored in the Hall of Fame and the fourth group of Space Shuttle astronauts named.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, members of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame are joined by Bill Moore, chief operating officer of the visitor complex pose under the space shuttle Atlantis in the facility where it will be displayed beginning June 29. The shuttle is currently protected by plastic wrap as constitution contuse. Pictured, left to right are, Curt Brown, Robert, 'Hoot' Gibson, Buzz Aldrin, Joe Allen, Rick Hauck, Steven Hawley, Fred Haise, Owen Garriott, Brewster Shaw. Jack Lousma, Dan Brandenstein, Vance Brand, Loren Shriver, Moore, Bonnie Dunbar, Eileen Collins, Charlie Duke, Walt Cunningham, John Blaha, Franklin Chang-Diaz, Karol Bobko, George 'Pinky' Nelson and Jeff Hoffmann. This induction is the twelfth group of space shuttle astronauts named to the AHOF, and the first time two women are inducted at the same time. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. For more on the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, go to http:__www.kennedyspacecenter.com_astronaut-hall-of-fame.aspx For more on the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, go to http:__astronautscholarship.org_ Photo credit: NASA_ Kim Shiflett