Another Purdue Boilermaker may be next to the moon

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University graduates Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan were the first and last humans to set foot on the moon. Now a Boilermaker will be on the team tasked with returning there. Astronaut Scott Tingle is one of the 18 members who will make up the Artemis Team, NASA announced this week.

Tingle has spent 168 days in space and performed one spacewalk. While aboard the International Space Station in May 2018, he famously hooded fellow Purdue graduate and astronaut Drew Feustel as part of bestowing an honorary doctorate, a moment streamed live to Purdue commencement ceremonies in West Lafayette.

Purdue, known as the Cradle of Astronauts, counts 25 alumni as astronauts. Loral O’Hara, a 2009 Purdue graduate, is the newest, moving from candidate to astronaut in January.

Tingle earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from Purdue in 1988 with a specialty in fluid mechanics and propulsion. He was one of nine astronaut candidates selected by NASA in 2009 from among more than 3,500 applicants.

He has accumulated more than 4,000 flight hours in 48 types of aircraft, including combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. His decorations include a Meritorious Service Medal, three Air Medals, six Navy Commendation Medals to include a Combat V, four Navy Achievement Medals and various unit commendations.

Tingle and his wife, Raynette, have three children, Amy, Sean and Eric.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.

Media contact: Jim Bush, 765-336-1909, jsbush@purdue.edu

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