Veteran NASA Astronaut and Former NFL Player Leland Melvin to be 'Moon to Mars' Special Gue

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and Florida’s Space Coast are taking football fans on a journey through the galaxy and beyond. Join us for a special meet-and-greet with veteran NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, the only person ever drafted into the NFL to have flown in space, and an exploration of MRVN®, the larger-than-life Mars rover concept vehicle. Other highlights include photo opportunities with a lunar rover, information about NASA “spinoffs” relating to football, and an entertaining display of the differences between playing football on Mars, Moon and Earth.

Leland Melvin is the only person in human history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space. Though his path from the gridiron to the heavens was riddled with setbacks and injury, Leland persevered to reach the stars. He served as mission specialist for two flights aboard space shuttle Atlantis, working on the International Space Station. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honored his athletic and academic accomplishments by placing his Detroit Lions jersey under glass in Canton, Ohio.