Virginia Beach, Virginia

Inducted in 1997, Kenneth S. Reightler, Jr., graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1973 at the top of his class.  He acquired his master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.  He has logged over 4,700 hours on 60 different types of aircraft and served as a carrier-qualified pilot on the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Ken joined the astronaut program in 1987.  He piloted the Space Shuttle "Discovery" STS-48 to deploy an Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) to provide scientists with their first complete data on stratospheric ozone.  His second flight was in 1994, also in the "Discovery" STS-60, the first joint USA/Russian Space mission.  He has logged 327 hours in space, 212 orbits of Earth covering over 5.3 mission miles.  He is widely known for his unselfish devotion to the education and motivation of Virginia's youth.  He has lectured throughout the Commonwealth inspiring youngsters of all ages.  He retired as a Captain from the U.S. Navy and NASA in 1995, and became a Vice-President with Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Services Company.