President Obama Gives Shout Out to West Orange Native During State of the Union

A West Orange native and Mountain High School graduate received a special shout out from President Obama during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, honoring his historic contributions to the United States Space Program.

In just two short months, Scott Kelly, formerly of West Orange, will begin a yearlong stay at the International Space Station, ABC News reports. The lengthy mission follows the launch of a new spacecraft and revamped space program designed to send American astronauts to Mars, the President explained. Kelly was one of President Obama’s special guests at Tuesday’s address.

The West Orange native, pictured above, is the first American astronaut to spend a full year aboard the International Space Station, according to a tweet posted by First Lady Michelle Obabma.

Photo courtesy of Scott Kelly’s Twitter page.

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