VOL 27 ISSUE 21, May 22, 2026
Main caption: Leaders from Delaware North and NASA gathered on May 14 to break ground on a new attraction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, located on Florida’s Space Coast. Pictured at the groundbreaking (from left to right), are Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; Jack McNeill, chief corporate affairs officer, Delaware North; Derek Zwickey, chief operating officer, Delaware North Parks and Resorts; Scott Socha, president, Parks and Resorts and Delaware North Australia; Kelvin Manning deputy director, NASA Kennedy Space Center; Jennifer Kunz, associate director, technical, NASA Kennedy Space Center; Burt Summerfield, associate director, management, NASA Kennedy Space Center; and Kimberlyn Carter, director, Center Engagement and Business Integration Services, NASA Kennedy Space Center.
Delaware North’s team at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Merritt Island, Fla., plays an important role in providing guests from around the globe with memorable experiences.
The visitor complex, which Delaware North operates for NASA, earlier this month hosted two exciting events – one honoring past accomplishments from the space program, and one looking forward to something exciting and new for guests.
The next great adventure takes flight
NASA has been contributing to groundbreaking discoveries for over 65 years, and on May 14, celebrated a different kind of groundbreaking at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Leaders from NASA and Delaware North gathered to break ground on a new attraction, continuing the visitor complex’s mission to inspire guests through the past, present and future of space exploration. The attraction is slated to open in early 2028 and will be located south of the Space Shuttle Atlantis building.
Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction
Veteran astronauts Tom Akers and Joe Tanner on May 16 were inducted into the prestigious U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, marking the 27th class of honorees to join the esteemed society.
During the ceremony, set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of Space Shuttle Atlantis, Akers and Tanner were honored for their outstanding accomplishments in advancing NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery.
Both Akers and Tanner served NASA in critical leadership and operational roles beyond their spaceflights, helping to shape astronaut training, mission success and future exploration initiatives. Following their NASA careers, both have remained deeply committed to education, mentorship and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) advocacy.
Veteran astronauts Tom Akers (left) and Joe Tanner (right) on May 16 were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which Delaware North operates on behalf of NASA in Florida.
Each year, inductees are selected by a committee of U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists, through a process administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was spearheaded more than 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. In Nov. 2016, a new U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, as part of the Heroes & Legends attraction. Akers and Tanner’s inductions bring the total number of astronauts in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame to 113.