Leland Melvin, a former wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, engineer and NASA astronaut. He served on the space shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist and was named the NASA Associate Administrator for Education in October 2010.
He also served as the co-chair on the White House's Federal Coordination in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Task Force, developing the nation's five-year STEM education plan.
In Spring 2018, he will appear in "One Strange Rock," a National Geographic Channel event series that explores life on Earth and its rarity in the universe. He was the host of the Lifetime show "Child Genius" and a judge for ABC's "BattleBots." He holds four honorary doctorates and has received the NFL Players Association Award of Excellence. He lives in Lynchburg, Virginia.
NEW YORK, N.Y., May 19, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Retired pro football player Leland Melvin thought his road to the NFL was an incredible journey – until he climbed aboard the shuttle Atlantis and traveled to outer space. Twice. Melvin, a former wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, engineer and astronaut, shares his real-life experiences, triumphs and challenges in an inspirational memoir. The book: “CHASING SPACE: AN ASTRONAUT’S STORY OF GRIT, GRACE, AND SECOND CHANCES” (ISBN: 978-0062496720; Amistad Hardcover Original).
