Tony Antonelli

Tony Antonelli embarked on his career as a Naval Aviator, serving on the USS Nimitz and flying F/A-18C Hornets in support of Operation Southern Watch. His tenure with the Blue Diamonds, Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-146, saw him amass over 4,700 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft, including 273 carrier-arrested landings. Antonelli's academic pursuits led to a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from MIT in 1989 and a Master of Science in the same field from the University of Washington in 2002. His distinguished performance at the US Air Force Test Pilot School further testified to his dedication and competence.

Antonelli was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in July 2000, a role that he embraced with zeal. He logged 24 days, 3 hours, 57 minutes, and 35 seconds in space, serving as pilot on the STS-119 mission, which launched on March 15, 2009, and delivered the sixth Starboard Integrated Truss Segment (S6) and the fourth set of solar arrays and batteries to the International Space Station. His second spaceflight, the STS-132 mission, launched on May 14, 2010, saw him deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and a Russian-built Mini Research Module (MRM-1) to the Station.

Throughout his career, Antonelli has been honored with several awards, such as the Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. After retiring from NASA in July 2015, he transitioned into the private sector, working for Lockheed Martin in various executive roles, including Chief Technologist for Civil Space, Director of Advanced Programs for Commercial/Civil Space, and Artemis II Mission Director for the Orion Program Office.