Leland Melvin
Leland Melvin is a former NASA astronaut, author and STEAM educator sharing space stories, graphic novels and lessons in curiosity with the next generation of explorers.
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Latest
Leland’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
First Second
First Second
Amistad
AmistadOverview
- Born
- February 15, 1964, in Lynchburg, Virginia
- Work
- Author, educator, engineer and former NASA astronaut
- Studies
- Chemistry at the University of Richmond; materials science engineering at the University of Virginia
- Spaceflight
- STS-122 in 2008 and STS-129 in 2009, both aboard Atlantis
Mini bio
How it started.
Melvin grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, and studied chemistry while playing football at the University of Richmond. The Detroit Lions drafted him in 1986. Injuries cut short his football ambitions, and he built another path through engineering and research.
From the lab to orbit.
He joined NASA Langley’s fiber optic sensors group in 1989 and was selected as an astronaut in 1998. A training injury damaged his hearing, but he eventually flew aboard Atlantis in 2008 and 2009 to help build the International Space Station.
Sharing the view.
After serving as head of NASA Education, Melvin made teaching and storytelling central to his public work. His 2017 memoir Chasing Space tells the story behind those second chances. A NASA portrait with his dogs Jake and Scout also introduced him to fans far beyond the space community.
Making room for young explorers.
With writer Joe Caramagna and illustrator Alison Acton, he created Space Chasers, a graphic novel series about middle schoolers learning to work together in space. The first book arrived in 2025, followed by To the Moon in 2026. He wants children from different backgrounds to see a place for themselves in exploration.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2026Space Chasers: To the MoonCo-author with Joe Caramagna; illustrated by Alison Acton
- 2025Space ChasersCreator and co-author with Joe Caramagna; illustrated by Alison Acton
- 2017Chasing Space: An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace, and Second ChancesAuthor
- 2017Chasing Space: Young Readers’ EditionAuthor
Awards
Quotes
It’s good to ask for help if you need itLeland Melvin, interviewed by Jonathan Roth
In May 2026, Roth asked what children who are struggling could take from Space Chasers and Melvin’s own story.
Trivia
- He has a longtime hobby of converting trucks into campers.
- His Detroit Lions jersey was placed on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- He contributed a chapter about visualization to Venus Williams’ book Come to Win.
- Photography and piano are among the hobbies listed in his NASA biography.
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