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PAGE 74 www.OverTheHumpSaver.com October 2025
ASTRONAUT LANDS IN

NEVADA, SO TO SPEAK

BY CHUCK N. BAKER

I wish to begin by noting At the recent gathering, someone
asked Kelly that if his wife was not
that when it comes to
politics, I am registered shot and partially disabled, would
nonpartisan. So when
writing about Arizona she have become an astronaut? He
answered that he often wondered
Sen. Mark Kelly, I’m focusing (well, for about that, and when he discussed it,
the most part), on his role as a retired his wife said “Yes.”
NASA astronaut, not as a politician.
Prior to his entry into politics, Kelly
Having said that, Kelly was invited flew combat missions during the
this month to be a guest in Las Vegas Gulf War as a Naval aviator before
by and for the Nevada Democratic being selected as a NASA Space
party. At a gathering at a local eatery, Shuttle pilot in 1996. He flew his
Kelly preached to the choir about the first space mission in 2001 as pilot
party and its goals. of STS-108, then piloted STS-121 in
2006, and commanded STS-124 in
Rep. Dina Titus was present, 2008 and STS-134 (the final mission
and she praised Kelly as a “true of Space Shuttle Endeavour) in 2011.
American hero.” But perhaps more In December 1987, Kelly became
interestingly, she told the story of a Naval aviator and received initial giving a nod to several small children
initially meeting Kelly years ago at training on the Intruder attack who were sitting upfront on the floor,
Burger King restaurant. Pilot Kelly aircraft. He was then assigned to an enthralled as he spoke.
confirmed the incident, saying that attack squadron in Japan. He was
he and his wife were often in Las deployed twice with to the Persian I couldn’t avoid politics altogether
Vegas on fuel stops on their way Gulf aboard the aircraft carrier USS and I asked Kelly about former Vice
to California. One day they were at Midway, which was homeported at President and presidential candidate
the aforementioned Burger King in Yokosuka, Japan. During Operation Kamala Harris. Had he spoken with
when Titus, who was already in Desert Storm, Kelly flew 39 combat her, and if so what advice might he
the restaurant, spotted the Kelly’s missions. After the Gulf War, Kelly have given her about her political
and introduced herself. They have received his master’s degree and future? He said that he had met with
remained friends ever since. then attended U.S. Naval Test Pilot her not long ago, but he demurred
School from 1993 to 1994. As a about the conversation, saying he
Kelly’s wife Gabby Giffords was an Naval aviator and test pilot, he has would prefer to keep it private.
Arizona Congresswoman who was logged more than 5,000 hours in In answering a question about
shot in an assassination attempt more than 50 different aircraft and lessons learned when in outer
in 2011. She left Congress and accomplished more than 375 carrier space, he said it was “teamwork.”
works with her husband as a gun landings. He explained his NASA team was
violence advocate. They founded a required to disagree with him. If they
nonprofit political action committee, In Las Vegas he praised the American thought he should do something
Americans for Responsible Solutions military and said “It’s a dangerous different, they were under orders to
(later merged into Giffords), which world.” But he noted that he places say so and discuss it with him and the
campaigned for gun control measures his faith in the nation’s youth. “I think others. Sounds like excellent advice
like universal background checks. the future of the country can be great for life on the ground, as well as in
for the kids and grandkids,” he said, outer space.