Two NASA space shuttle astronauts were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Saturday, May 16, with a group of Eminence residents traveling to Florida to witness the event.
Tom Akers and Joe Tanner were the 2026 inductees into the Hall of Fame, which now enshrines 113 members.
Akers, an Eminence native, joined the U.S. Air Force after serving as the local high school principal for four years.
“I went looking for an easier job,” he said.
In the Air Force, he became a flight test engineer, or “backseater,” and flew in a variety of planes before joining the astronaut program. During his time as an astronaut, Akers flew four shuttle missions and completed 29 hours of spacewalks. This included the 1993 repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, which NASA describes as “one of the most challenging and complex manned missions ever attempted.”
Hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation the induction ceremony took place in an auditorium located beneath the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The group of Eminence residents was thrilled to see Akers recognized for his accomplishments and enjoyed assigned, badged seating thanks to special guidance from Akers on the proper procedure to obtain the privilege.
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is located on the ground floor of the Heroes and Legends building at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Merritt Island, Fla., near Titusville.
After retiring from the astronaut program, Akers taught mathematics for 10 years at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. He currently resides on his farm near Eminence with his wife, Kaye, and participates in community affairs.
Locals who want to learn more about his aerospace career but cannot make the trip to Florida are encouraged to visit the Tom Akers exhibit at the Shannon County Museum in Eminence.
