'Unbelievably exciting': Florida native becomes 2021 astronaut candidate
Claire Metz
SUMMER: NASA ANNOUNCED ITS 2021 ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE TRAINING CLASS MONDAY AND THE NEW CLASS OF 10 INCLUDES A MAN WHIT CENTRAL FLORIDA ROOTS. STEWART: 42-YEAR-OLD LUKE DELANEY GREW UP IN DEBARY. HE SPOKE WITH WESH 2'S CLAIRE METZ ABOUT SOME OF THE LOCAL INFLUENCES THAT HE BELIEVES LED HIM TO NA.AS >> IT'S UNBELIEVABLEY EXCITING. >> LUKE DELANEY HAS ALREADY LED AN EXCINITG FELI, A RETIRED U.S. MARINE CORP MAJOR, NAVAL AVIATOR, AND TEST PILOT WITH ADVANCED DEGREES JOINING THE ELITE ASTRONAUT CORP SAYS DELANEY IS A DREAM COME TR.UE >> LIVING BY THE SPACE COAST, SEEING THE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES IM AGING WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO PILOT THE SHUTTLE WAS A HUGE INCLUENCE. >> GROWING UP IN DEBARY, DELEYAN ATTENDED BOTH DELAND AND DELTONA HIGH SCHOOLS. HE SAYS ONE TEACHER IN PARTICULAR BROUGHT MATH TO LIFE FOR HIM AND THATIS H PARENTS ENCOURAGED HIS LOVE OF SCIENCE. >> I ALSO WAS FORTUNATE, LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE PARENTS AND A DAD THAT REALLY FOSTERED THAT SCIENCE IS THERE, HELPING WITH SCIENCE PROJECTS AND ALWAYS SPARKING THAT CURIOUSITY. >> DELANEY AND HIS FELWLO ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES CULLED FROM 12,000 APPLICANTS WILL TRAIN IN HOUSTON FOR TWO YEARS ON AIRCRAFT, LEARNING SPACE STATION SYSTEMS, ROBOTICS, LANGUAGE , GEOLOGY. HE SAYS NASA'S NEW EXPLORATION GOALS ARE IN LOCKSTEP WITH HIS A H--IS. HE IS THRILLED WITH THE POSSIBLE MOON MISSION. >> WHEN I THINK OUABT POSSIBLY GOING BACK TO THE MOON FOR LIKE A PERSISTENT, SUSTAINABLE EVENT AND PEOPLE BEING UP THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, THAT IS JUST PHENOMENAL. >> DELANEY, A MARRIED FATHER OF TWO, SAYS HIS FAMILY HAS MADE HIS NASA DREAM THEIR OWN AND HE KNS OW HASHE A LOT OF LOCAL SUPPORT FROM HIS HOMETOWN TOO, EXCITED TO REPRESENT. >> BRINGING THIS SPACE ADVENRETU BACK TO FLORIDA FOR ME AND CULIMINATING AT THE SPACE COAST HOPEFULLY OR A LAUNCH SOME DAY, I COULDN'T
Luke Delaney has already led an exciting life. Delaney is a retired U.S. Marine Corps major, naval aviator and test pilot with advanced degrees.For Delaney, joining the elite NASA Astronaut Corps is a dream come true.RELATED: NASA's new telescope and the search for clues about our universe explained"Living by the space coast, seeing the shuttle launches, imagining what it would be like to pilot the shuttle was a huge influence," Delaney said.Growing up in DeBary, Delaney attended both DeLand and Deltona high schools. He says one teacher brought math to life for him and that his parents encouraged his love of science."I also was fortunate, lucky enough to have parents and a dad that really fostered that science is there, helping with science projects and always sparking that curiosity," Delaney said.NASA: Moon landing goal pushed to 2025 Delaney and his fellow astronaut candidates, culled from 12,000 applicants, will train in Houston for two years on aircraft, learning space station systems, robotics, language and geology. He says NASA's new exploration goals are in lockstep with his. The idea of a moon mission he says, thrills him."When I think about possibly going back to the moon for like a persistent, sustainable event and people being up there for long periods of time, that is just phenomenal," Delaney said.PHOTOS: Take a look at the early years of NASA's space shuttle era Delaney, a married father of two, says his family has made his NASA dream their own and he knows he has a lot of local support from his hometown too."Bringing this space adventure back to Florida for me and culminating at the space coast hopefully or a launch someday, I couldn't be more excited, and I hope to share it with everybody," Delaney said. "It's unbelievably exciting."
Luke Delaney has already led an exciting life. Delaney is a retired U.S. Marine Corps major, naval aviator and test pilot with advanced degrees.
For Delaney, joining the elite NASA Astronaut Corps is a dream come true.
RELATED: NASA's new telescope and the search for clues about our universe explained
"Living by the space coast, seeing the shuttle launches, imagining what it would be like to pilot the shuttle was a huge influence," Delaney said.
Growing up in DeBary, Delaney attended both DeLand and Deltona high schools. He says one teacher brought math to life for him and that his parents encouraged his love of science.
"I also was fortunate, lucky enough to have parents and a dad that really fostered that science is there, helping with science projects and always sparking that curiosity," Delaney said.
NASA: Moon landing goal pushed to 2025
Delaney and his fellow astronaut candidates, culled from 12,000 applicants, will train in Houston for two years on aircraft, learning space station systems, robotics, language and geology. He says NASA's new exploration goals are in lockstep with his. The idea of a moon mission he says, thrills him.
"When I think about possibly going back to the moon for like a persistent, sustainable event and people being up there for long periods of time, that is just phenomenal," Delaney said.
PHOTOS: Take a look at the early years of NASA's space shuttle era
Delaney, a married father of two, says his family has made his NASA dream their own and he knows he has a lot of local support from his hometown too.
"Bringing this space adventure back to Florida for me and culminating at the space coast hopefully or a launch someday, I couldn't be more excited, and I hope to share it with everybody," Delaney said. "It's unbelievably exciting."