Mark Kelly Bio
Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964) is an American politician, a retired United States Navy captain, and a former NASA astronaut. He is the senior United States senator from Arizona, a position he has held since 2020, and he serves as a member of the Democratic Party. Kelly is widely recognized for commanding the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2011 and for his gun-safety advocacy alongside his wife, former United States Representative Gabby Giffords.
Before entering politics, Kelly built a distinguished career as a naval aviator, test pilot, and Space Shuttle commander, flying four missions between 2001 and 2011. He was first elected to the Senate in a 2020 special election triggered by the death of Senator John McCain, becoming the first Democrat to win that seat since 1953, and he was reelected in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Mark Edward Kelly was born on February 21, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey, and raised in West Orange, New Jersey. He is the son of Richard Kelly and Patricia (née McAvoy) Kelly, two retired police officers, and he is of Irish descent. Kelly grew up alongside his identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, who would later follow him into space.
Kelly graduated from Mountain High School in 1982 and went on to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marine engineering and nautical science in 1986. He later received a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Naval Postgraduate School in 1994.
His early interest in service and engineering was shaped by his family background and his formal training at the Merchant Marine Academy, which prepared him for a long career in the Navy and, eventually, at NASA.
Path to US Politics
Kelly’s transition into public life began in the months following the January 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, Gabby Giffords, then a United States representative from Arizona. The shooting killed six people and prompted Kelly to retire from both the Navy and NASA in October 2011 to support his wife’s recovery.
In January 2013, weeks after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Kelly and Giffords co-founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, a nonprofit political action committee that later merged with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence to become Giffords. The organization campaigned for universal background checks and other gun-safety measures, giving Kelly a national platform in policy debates.
On February 12, 2019, Kelly announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in Arizona as a Democrat. He positioned himself as a moderate focused on bipartisanship, drawing on his military, aerospace, and advocacy background to launch his political career.
Mark Kelly Career
Early Career (1987-1995)
Kelly became a naval aviator in December 1987 and was assigned to Attack Squadron 115 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan. He deployed twice with the squadron to the Persian Gulf aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway, and during Operation Desert Storm he flew 39 combat missions.
After the Gulf War, Kelly attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School from 1993 to 1994. Across his Navy career he logged more than 5,000 hours in over 50 different aircraft and made more than 375 carrier landings.
NASA Astronaut Breakthrough (1996-2011)
NASA selected both Mark Kelly and his identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, as Space Shuttle pilots in 1996. They remain the only siblings to have both traveled into orbit. Mark Kelly flew his first space mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108 aboard Endeavour, a flight to the International Space Station that delivered supplies and rotated crews.
In July 2006, Kelly piloted STS-121 Discovery, the second Return to Flight mission after the loss of Columbia in 2003. The mission tested new safety and repair techniques and delivered supplies and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter to the orbiting outpost. Kelly’s third mission, STS-124 in 2008, was his first as commander and delivered the pressurized module of Japan’s Kibo laboratory to the station.
Kelly’s fourth and final mission, STS-134 in May 2011, was the last flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. As commander, he and his crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. Across his four missions, Kelly logged more than 54 days in space and traveled millions of miles in orbit.
U.S. Senate Era (2020-Present)
Kelly was elected to the United States Senate in a 2020 special election to fill the seat vacated by the death of Senator John McCain. He defeated Republican Martha McSally in the general election and was sworn in on December 2, 2020, becoming the fifth retired astronaut elected to Congress.
In 2022, Kelly won reelection to a full term, defeating Republican nominee Blake Masters. In the Senate he has worked across party lines, co-sponsoring legislation on law enforcement training, ocean shipping, human trafficking, and radiation exposure, while also supporting abortion rights, immigration protections, and bipartisan border measures such as the Laken Riley Act.
He has remained a prominent national voice on gun safety through his work with Giffords and, in 2025, drew attention for participating in a video reminding service members of their right to refuse illegal orders. That role led to an investigation and a subsequent lawsuit against the Department of Defense over his rank and retirement pay.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kelly’s career-defining moments include commanding the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour, surviving the 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, and becoming the first Democrat to win his Arizona Senate seat since 1953. He also co-founded a leading national gun-safety organization and was reportedly among the leading contenders for the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nomination.
Mark Kelly Career Wins
Mark Kelly’s record of service spans military decorations, four Space Shuttle missions, and two United States Senate victories. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
Space Shuttle Highlights
Kelly flew four Space Shuttle missions between 2001 and 2011, serving as pilot on STS-108 and STS-121 and as commander on STS-124 and STS-134. His most celebrated achievement was commanding the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour, delivering the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station.
Other Wins and Achievements
Beyond spaceflight, Kelly was elected United States senator from Arizona in 2020 and reelected in 2022, and he is widely recognized for his contributions to gun-safety advocacy through the organization Giffords. His twin brother, Scott Kelly, shared his path into space, making them the only siblings to have both traveled to orbit.
Mark Kelly Family
Family Background and Service Lineage
Kelly is the son of Richard Kelly and Patricia (née McAvoy) Kelly, both retired police officers. His identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also a retired NASA astronaut, making them the only siblings to have both traveled into orbit. Kelly is of Irish descent and was raised in West Orange, New Jersey.
Personal Life
Kelly married Amelia Victoria Babis on January 7, 1989; the couple divorced in 2004 and have two daughters, Claudia and Claire. On November 10, 2007, Kelly married United States Representative Gabby Giffords of Tucson in a ceremony in Arizona. He and Giffolds co-founded a national gun-safety advocacy organization after she survived an assassination attempt in January 2011.