Photo: NASA

Personal Data:
Born February 21, 1964 in Orange, New Jersey. Married to the former Leslie S. Yandell of Atlanta, Georgia. They have one child. His parents, Richard and Patricia Kelly, reside in Flagler Beach, Florida. Enjoys running, weightlifting, and racquetball.

Education:
Graduated from Mountain High School, West Orange, New Jersey, in 1982; received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1987, and a master of science degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1996.

Organzations:
Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

Awards:
Navy Commendation Medal,Navy Achievement Medal, 2 Navy Unit Commendations, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Defense of Kuwait Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Experience:
Kelly received his commission from the State University of New York Maritime College in May 1987, and was designated a naval aviator in July 1989 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Beeville, Texas. He then reported to Fighter Squadron 101 at NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia, for initial F-14 Tomcat training. Upon completion of this training, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 143 and made overseas deployments to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). Kelly was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in January 1993 and completed training in June 1994. After graduation, he worked as a test pilot at the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, flying the F-14A/B/D, F/A-18A/B/C/D and KC-130F. Kelly was the first pilot to fly an F-14 with an experimental digital flight control system installed and performed subsequent high angle of attack and departure testing.

Kelly has logged over 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft and has over 250 carrier landings.

NASA Experience:
Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in April 1996, Kelly reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. Having completed two years of training and evaluation, he is qualified for flight assignment as a pilot. Kelly was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Spacecraft Systems/Operations Branch. He is assigned to STS-103, the third Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission.