Tom Akers and Joe Tanner are finally in the same class.
The two veteran space shuttle crew members were inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame together on May 16. They could also have been in the same NASA astronaut selection group, too, had history played out a little differently.
In 1984, Tanner reported to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to fly as an instructor pilot and then applied for the next class of astronaut candidates.
“Tom came in with the class of 1987, which, interestingly enough, I interviewed for. He made it, and I didn’t,” said Tanner.
“And I’ve been leading the way ever since,” said Akers, interrupting Tanner while both laughed in a joint interview with collectSPACE.com. “I have never understood why it took NASA so long to pick him.” (Tanner became an astronaut in 1992.)
Akers’ and Tanner’s spaceflight careers overlapped by five years and included four missions each. Although they never launched into Earth orbit together, they flew numerous T-38 jet training flights and knew each other well.
“Our families were friends,” said Akers. “We went to the same church, so we were more social friends than work friends at JSC.”
Twenty years after the last of their flights returned from space, Akers and Tanner were finally side by side under the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s display of the retired space shuttle Atlantis—a vehicle on which both rode—to be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame as the class of 2026.
“It was something I was aware of as a possibility, but had never really given thought I would get inducted, said Akers. “So it was a pleasant surprise for sure.”
“We both knew we were on the ballot,” said Tanner. “I had been on the [nominee] ballot with Tom for 10 years.”
A pair of spacewalkers
The induction ceremony coincided with the 34th anniversary of Akers’ landing from what may have been his most famous mission. On May 16, 1992, he touched down on the space shuttle Endeavour after becoming one-third of the only three-person spacewalk in history.
Akers, together with his STS-49 crewmates Rick Hieb and Pierre Thuot, reached up with their gloved hands to grab hold of and secure a communications satellite in the orbiter’s payload bay.
“All of our spacewalks are designed really for two people; the system really isn’t made where it’s easy for three people,” Akers told collectSPACE. “That was a unique situation where we couldn’t get the capture bar on the Intelsat VI, and the ground [controllers] and our crew came up with the idea of three people going out. With the teamwork and great ground team support, it worked slick.”
Akers and Tanner both conducted spacewalks to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), carefully manipulating delicate optical instruments in a closely confined area. Tanner also helped assemble the large backbone truss and solar arrays wings for the International Space Station (ISS).
“I have often been asked what is the difference between ISS and an HST EVA [extravehicular activity], and I think it’s hands and overall physical effort,” said Tanner. “Manual dexterity in your hands was more important for HST, and for ISS, you’re hauling around some pretty big, heavy objects and maneuvering a long way. That’s the biggest difference.”
In total, Akers spent almost 30 hours of his nearly 34 days in space conducting spacewalks. Tanner logged 43 days, including 46 and a half hours on EVAs.
Joining the ranks
Saturday’s ceremony was led by news correspondent John Zarella and included remarks by Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which manages the nominee and selection process each year; Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of the visitor complex; and Kelvin Manning, deputy director for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
“Today’s induction of Tom Akers and Joe Tanner honors two astronauts whose careers embody excellence, leadership, and service,” said Brown, who became a NASA astronaut in the same class as Akers and flew with Tanner on Atlantis. “Their lasting contributions to NASA, and their ongoing work as educators and mentors, reflect the very best of the US space program.”
“We’re proud to welcome them into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame,” said Brown, who is a member of the 2013 class.
Brian Duffy, class of 2016, formally inducted Akers, presenting him with his Hall of Fame medal. Chris Ferguson, who flew as the pilot of Tanner’s last mission, STS-115, and who was inducted in 2022, honored his former crewmate similarly. Some 20 veteran NASA astronauts, including 15 other Hall of Fame members, attended the event.
The ceremony also included the unveiling of the etched-glass portraits and mission patch displays, which will next hang alongside the 111 other similar plaques representing the inductees. Founded in 1990, the US Astronaut Hall of Fame has been a feature of the Heroes & Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex since 2016.
