Senator Collins Congratulates Maine Native Named NASA Chief Of The Astronaut Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins offered her congratulations to Navy Captain Chris Cassidy on being named Chief of the Astronaut Office, the most senior leadership position for active astronauts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“I join the people of Maine in congratulating Captain Cassidy on this momentous occasion. In his new role, Captain Cassidy will lead our nation’s astronauts and show the children of Maine that they can literally reach for the stars,” said Senator Collins. “Captain Cassidy has already had an impressive career with both the Navy and NASA, and I know Mainers will enjoy following the next step of his career.”

Captain Cassidy grew up in York where he played basketball at York High School. He also attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s degree in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Captain Cassidy was a member of the U.S. Navy SEALs for 10 years before he was selected as an astronaut in 2004. After the September 11th attacks, he did two tours of duty in Afghanistan and earned a Bronze Star for his service. Captain Cassidy is married and has three children.

Senator Collins met with Captain Cassidy in Washington, D.C. in November, 2013.