Mark Kelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Kelly
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Official portrait, 2021
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| United States Senator from Arizona |
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| Assumed office December 2, 2020 Serving with Ruben Gallego
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| Preceded by | Martha McSally |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mark Edward Kelly
February 21, 1964 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (before 2018) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Scott Kelly (twin brother) |
| Education | United States Merchant Marine Academy (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS) |
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| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1986–2011 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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54d 2h 4m |
| Selection | NASA Group 16 (1996) |
| Missions | STS-108 STS-121 STS-124 STS-134 |
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Mission insignia
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| Retirement | October 1, 2011 |
Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964) is an American politician, a retired astronaut, and a United States Navy captain. He currently serves as a United States senator for Arizona. He has held this position since 2020 and is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming a senator, Kelly flew combat missions in the Gulf War as a Navy pilot. In 1996, he was chosen by NASA to be a Space Shuttle pilot. He went on four space missions, including commanding the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2011. In January 2011, his wife, then-Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords, was seriously injured in a shooting incident. Kelly retired from the Navy and NASA later that year. In 2013, he and Giffords started a group called Giffords to support gun control measures, like universal background checks for gun sales.
In 2019, Kelly announced he would run for Arizona's U.S. Senate seat. He won the election in 2020, becoming the first Democrat to win that seat since 1962. He was re-elected in 2022.
Early Life and Military Service
Mark Kelly and his identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, were born on February 21, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey. Their parents, Richard and Patricia Kelly, were both retired police officers. Mark grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, and finished high school in 1982.
He then attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he studied marine engineering and nautical science. He graduated with top honors in 1986. In 1994, he earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.
In 1987, Kelly became a naval aviator and trained to fly the A-6E Intruder attack aircraft. He was sent to Japan and deployed twice to the Persian Gulf on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. During Operation Desert Storm, Kelly flew 39 combat missions.
After the Gulf War, he attended U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. As a naval aviator and test pilot, he has flown over 5,000 hours in more than 50 different types of aircraft. He also completed over 375 landings on aircraft carriers.
Kelly received many awards during his Navy career, including two Defense Superior Service Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses. On October 1, 2011, Kelly retired from both the Navy and NASA. He said he needed to support his wife, Gabby Giffords, during her recovery.
Mark Kelly's NASA Career
In 1996, NASA chose both Mark Kelly and his twin brother, Scott Kelly, to become Space Shuttle pilots. They joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in August of that year. They are the only twin brothers to have both traveled into space.
Spaceflight Missions
Mark Kelly flew four missions into space.
STS-108: First Space Mission
Kelly's first journey into space was as the pilot of STS-108. The Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on December 5, 2001. This was the last Shuttle mission of that year.
During this mission, Endeavour visited the International Space Station (ISS). It delivered over three tons of supplies and a new crew to the station. Kelly and another astronaut used the shuttle's robotic arm to move a large module filled with supplies from the shuttle to the station. The mission was extended to help with extra maintenance tasks on the ISS.
Kelly traveled over 4.8 million miles and orbited Earth 186 times. The mission lasted almost 12 days.
STS-121: Return to Flight
In July 2006, Kelly piloted STS-121 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. This was the second "Return to Flight" mission after the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. Due to weather, STS-121 was the first shuttle mission to launch on the Fourth of July.
The main goals of this mission were to test new safety and repair methods for the shuttle. It also delivered supplies and a European astronaut, Thomas Reiter, to the ISS. Reiter's arrival brought the ISS crew back to three members.
Kelly's girlfriend at the time, Gabby Giffords, chose one of the mission's wake-up songs: U2's "Beautiful Day".
Kelly traveled over 5.28 million miles and orbited Earth 202 times. This mission lasted almost 13 days.
STS-124: Commander Kelly
STS-124 aboard Discovery was Mark Kelly's first mission as commander. The mission's main goal was to deliver parts of Japan's Kibo laboratory to the ISS. "Kibo" means "hope" in Japanese.
Just before liftoff, Kelly said, "While we've all prepared for this event today, the discoveries from Kibo will definitely offer hope for tomorrow."
During the launch, the launch pad was damaged more than ever before. Bricks and mortar were thrown far away from the pad. Kelly and his crew delivered the largest part of the Kibo laboratory to the ISS. They also brought a replacement part for the station's toilet, which had been broken for a week. When Kelly first entered the station, he joked, "You looking for a plumber?"
This mission was the first time a spouse of a member of Congress traveled to space. Kelly traveled over 5.7 million miles and orbited Earth 218 times. The mission lasted almost 14 days.
STS-134: Endeavour's Final Flight
STS-134 launched on May 16, 2011. Mark Kelly was the commander of this mission, which was Space Shuttle Endeavour's last flight. He and his crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the ISS.
The first launch attempt on April 29, 2011, was delayed. Gabby Giffords traveled to Florida to watch, making it a highly anticipated event. President Barack Obama also visited the Kennedy Space Center that day.
Originally, this mission was planned to happen while Mark's twin brother, Scott Kelly, was already on the ISS. This would have been the first time blood relatives met in space, but the delay of STS-134 prevented it. After his wife's shooting, Mark Kelly's status for the mission was unclear. However, NASA announced in February 2011 that he would remain commander. His wife's amazing recovery helped him decide to return to training.
- Papal Blessing: On May 22, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI called Endeavour from Earth. He gave his blessing to Gabby Giffords, who had undergone skull surgery earlier that week. This was the first time a pope spoke to astronauts during a mission.
- U2 Concerts: Mark Kelly recorded messages from the ISS for U2 concerts. He wished his wife love using lyrics from David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and introduced U2's song "Beautiful Day".
Retirement from NASA
On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced he would leave NASA and the U.S. Navy on October 1. He explained that his wife, Gabby Giffords, needed him during her recovery. He shared his retirement on his Facebook page, expressing deep thanks for the chance to serve the nation.
Life After NASA
Author
In 2011, Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords wrote a book together called Gabby: A Story of Courage, Love and Resilience. This book shares their life story and describes Gabby's shooting and her recovery.
Kelly also wrote children's books. His first, Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story (2012), became a New York Times bestseller. He followed it with a sequel, Mousetronaut Goes to Mars, in 2013. In 2015, he co-wrote Astrotwins: Project Blastoff with Martha Freeman, a fictional story about twin brothers building a space capsule.
Gun Safety Activism
After the shooting incident involving his wife, Mark Kelly became a strong supporter of gun safety. In January 2013, he and Gabby Giffords started a group called Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS). The group's goal is to find solutions to gun violence. They support the Second Amendment but also want to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
ARS believes that current gun laws allow private sellers to sell guns without background checks. They argue this makes it easy for criminals and people with mental illness to get guns. Kelly stated in 2013 that any bill without a universal background check is a mistake. In 2016, ARS merged with another group to become Giffords. This organization continues to advocate for background checks and red flag laws.
U.S. Senate Career
Elections
2020 Special Election
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On February 12, 2019, Mark Kelly announced he would run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Arizona. He aimed to unseat the Republican senator, Martha McSally. Kelly chose not to accept campaign money from corporate political action committees (PACs).
The Associated Press announced Kelly's victory on November 4, 2020. His win meant that Arizona had two Democratic senators for the first time since 1953. Because it was a special election, Kelly took office quickly, on December 2, 2020. He is the fifth retired astronaut to be elected to Congress.
2022 Election
Kelly was reelected in 2022, defeating Republican challenger Blake Masters.
Time in the Senate
On December 2, 2020, Mark Kelly cast his first Senate vote. In January 2023, three bills he introduced with fellow Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema became law. These bills helped Indian tribes in Arizona by providing money for water infrastructure and allowing tribes to lease parts of the Colorado River water they were allocated.
Committee Roles
Senator Kelly serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Armed Services
- He leads the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.
- Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Special Committee on Aging
- Joint Economic Committee
Political Views
Kelly ran as a moderate politician in 2020, emphasizing his support for working with both parties. He has supported ending the filibuster to pass voting rights laws and increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. He has also criticized President Joe Biden's approach to border security.
Climate and Environment
Kelly supports action on climate change but does not favor the Green New Deal. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a high score for his environmental efforts in 2021. In 2022, he also supported increasing oil drilling due to rising gas prices.
Health Care
Kelly supports improving the Affordable Care Act to include a public health insurance option. However, he does not support Medicare for All.
Immigration
Regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Kelly has said, "Dreamers are as American as anyone," showing his support for the program.
Personal Life
Kelly married Amelia Victoria Babis in 1989, and they divorced in 2004. They have two daughters, Claudia and Claire.
On November 10, 2007, Kelly married U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords. They met in 2003 during a trip to China. At the time of their marriage, Kelly lived in Houston, Texas, and Giffords lived in Arizona. They often spent time apart due to their jobs, but Kelly said it taught them "not to sweat the small stuff."
In 2015, Kelly appeared on an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy!.
Tucson Shooting Incident
Gabby Giffords was seriously injured in a shooting incident on January 8, 2011. This event brought national attention to Mark Kelly. On February 4, Kelly described the past month as the hardest time of his life. He expressed thanks for the huge amount of support and prayers for his wife. He believed people's prayers helped her.
Kelly learned about the shooting soon after it happened. He flew from Houston to Tucson. On the way, he heard a false news report that Giffords had died, which was very upsetting for his family. He later found out she was alive and in surgery.
From the moment he arrived in Tucson, Kelly stayed by his wife's side as she fought to survive and began to recover. As her condition improved, the family chose a rehabilitation center in Houston. Giffords was transferred there on January 21 and continued her recovery.
Giffords and Kelly had often talked about the risks of her job. She worried about someone with a gun at a public event. Kelly said in an interview, "Gabrielle Giffords is too tough to let this beat her."
Aftermath of the Shooting
A memorial service for those who died in the shooting was held on January 12, 2011. President Obama spoke at the service. Kelly sat between First Lady Michelle Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. After the service, Obama comforted Kelly, who then returned to the hospital to be with his wife.
Kelly spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. on February 3, 2011. He said the attack on his wife brought him closer to God and made him more aware of prayer. He hoped that something positive could come out of the tragedy. He believed it was an opportunity to improve the tone of national discussions.
Awards and Decorations
Kelly has received many awards and decorations for his service:
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| Naval Pilot Astronaut Badge | |||
| Defense Superior Service Medal (with one oak leaf cluster) |
Legion of Merit | Distinguished Flying Cross (with one award star) |
Air Medal (with Valor device and three service stars) |
| Navy Commendation Medal (with Valor device and one service star) |
Navy Achievement Medal | Navy Unit Commendation (with one service star) |
NASA Exceptional Service Medal |
| NASA Space Flight Medal (with three service stars) |
Navy Expeditionary Medal | National Defense Service Medal (with one service star) |
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with one service star) |
| Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with one service star) |
Overseas Service Ribbon | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
See also
In Spanish: Mark E. Kelly para niños
