--- title: "Kamala Harris Vetting Former NASA Space Shuttle Commander for VP Pick" description: "Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly is among a shortlist of seven potential VP candidates undergoing vetting to be Kamala Harris' running mate." date: "2024-07-24" modified: "2024-07-24" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/kamala-harris-vetting-mark-kelly-vp" categories: - "Future Society" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "astronauts" - "politics" - "the digest" - "vice president" --- # Kamala Harris Vetting Former NASA Space Shuttle Commander for VP Pick ![Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly is among a shortlist of seven potential VP candidates undergoing vetting to be Kamala Harris' running mate.]() *\Image: Drew Angerer / Andrew Harnik via Getty / Futurism\* ## Running Man As the [Democratic National Convention hurdles ever closer](), former NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly is among a shortlist of seven potential VP candidates undergoing vetting to be Kamala Harris' running mate. As the [*Arizona Republic* reports](), Kelly — the current junior senator from the Grand Canyon State — is being considered alongside the likes of North Carolina's Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to join the Democratic presidential ticket following [President Joe Biden's stunning resignation]() from the race last weekend. The 60-year-old senator has, as the report notes, long been a supporter of both Harris and Biden. After Biden dropped out and endorsed the vice president, Kelly threw his support behind her in a statement posted to his personal account on X-formerly-Twitter, saying he "[couldn't be more confident]()" that she's the right candidate to defeat Donald Trump in November. If chosen, and if Harris' campaign is successful, Kelly would be the first former astronaut to serve as VP — a role which has traditionally [overseen NASA itself](). ## Credit Is Due Thus far, the [twin astronaut]() hasn't commented much on his reported inclusion on the running mate shortlist except to say that he matters less than the woman at the top of the ticket. "This is not about me," [Kelly told *ABC*]() earlier this week. "I'm going to be focused on doing everything I can to make sure she is elected because we cannot have a repeat of what we saw between 2016 and 2020." Nevertheless, Kelly is considered to be one of the best candidates among the field of potential VP candidates due to his unique background as a [Naval pilot and captain](), a [NASA astronaut](), and a [gun control advocate]() following the [near-fatal shooting]() of his wife Gabby Giffords in 2003. While there are certainly merits to the other VP hopefuls, Kelly is by far the most exciting of the bunch — and which other shortlister can say, as *Washington Post* political columnist Karen Tumulty notes in an [op-ed about the Arizona senator's credentials](), that they've traveled more than 20 million miles in space? **More on politics:** [*Tesla Buyers Disgusted by Elon Musk's Endorsement of Donald Trump*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()