BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – In Houston Monday, NASA chose a DeBary pilot and engineer to its newest class of astronauts.
Veteran Luke Delaney,42, is among 10 candidates NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said have the same right stuff as the astronauts who paved the way.
‘’There was the Apollo generation and that did so much for so many. Now, it’s the Artemis generation,’’ Nelson said.
Delaney’s generation could be the astronauts assigned to land on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years by the time Artemis III reaches the lunar surface as soon as 2025.
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‘’When I got the phone call, I was in disbelief then and I was still waiting for it to kind of register,’’ Delaney said. ‘’So going through this process now is making it a little more real, but we are just totally elated here,’’ he said.
Delaney then reacted to the possibility of going to the moon.
‘’The fact that the next NASA missions are going to be focused on establishing that presence, and I could be a part of it, it’s really mind-blowing,’’ he said.
Delaney reports for duty next month.
He will train for the future spaceflight moments when Delaney and his classmates earn their astronaut wings.
Delaney said the other astronaut candidates selected include athletes, physicists and doctors.
‘’It’s just amazing the group that’s been brought together and we’re ready to go out and start tackling the challenges,’’ he said