Volusia County native training to become astronaut

NASA on Monday announced the 10 new astronauts, half of them military pilots, as it looks ahead to the moon and Mars. Luke Delaney, 42, who grew up in Volusia County, holds degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering and was a distinguished naval aviator.

DELTONA, Fla. - From the class of 1997 at Deltona High School to NASA’s new astronaut class of 2021, 42-year-old Luke Delaney went from DeBary’s star student to soon-to-be traveler of the stars.

"I got the news a couple weeks ago, and I am super excited," Delaney said.

Delaney says he went through a difficult interview process, one that took about 10 months. Now, he is one of NASA’s 10 new astronaut candidates chosen from a field of over 12,000 applicants.

He says he always had an interest in space. He says started when he was young and only grew with the support and mentorship of those around him – specifically, his high school teacher, Mrs. Johnnie Ebbert, who says she was thrilled when she heard the news.

Ebbert taught in Volusia County for almost 40 years. She remembers Luke fondly, the boy sitting in the front row at class at Deltona high school, always asking questions.

"It's just wonderful to see a student like Luke do what he wants to do. And my definition of success is doing what you want to do," Ebbert said.

"I would say, as a kid, getting to this point seems overwhelming, but it is a day by day event…find your passion, apply yourself, and you too can make it wherever you want to be," Delaney said.

After graduating from Deltona High School, Delaney earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of North Florida, Jacksonville, in 2006 and a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, in 2016.

Delaney completed Marine Officer Training in 2006, Navy Flight Training in 2008, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 2014. He is a Federal Aviation Administration-certified flight and instrument instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes. Delaney enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998, completing Naval Aircrew Candidate School where he was selected to be a KC-130 Navigator.

Born in Miami, Delaney considers DeBary to be his hometown.

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