William Shatner, “Star Trek’s” Capt. James T. Kirk, and Jessica Meir, UC San Diego graduate, biologist, and NASA astronaut, were among those inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at a gala at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Saturday.
Meir is also a pivotal member of the Artemis program, which intends to land the first woman and next man on the moon.
The evening gala, held in the museum’s Edwin D. McKellar Pavilion of Flight, also honored Royce Williams, a Korean War Navy Cross recipient; Robert DeLaurentis, a record-setting American aviator; and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for its work in unmanned aerial systems.
“We’re exceptionally pleased to honor this exemplary class of 2023 because these men and women represent a vast range of the ongoing advances in aviation and space exploration,” said Jim Kidrick, president and CEO of the museum.
“Achievements in aviation and space, as embodied by the honorees in the prestigious International Air & Space Hall of Fame, directly represent the human pioneering spirit and pursuit of mankind’s final frontiers,” Kidrick said.
Since 1963, the International Air & Space Hall of Fame has honored the world’s most significant pilots, crew members, visionaries, inventors, industry-leading companies, aerospace engineers, aerospace industrialists, preservationists, designers, and space explorers.
City News Service contributed to this article.