NASA astronaut James Buchli smiles next to a plaque of himself after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2019. (Contributed/Office of the North Dakota Governor)
BY: NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR STAFF
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – Astronaut James Buchli will receive the 49th Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award at a July 30 ceremony at the University of North Dakota, Gov. Doug Burgum announced Friday.
The ceremony is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and will take place at the university’s Robin Hall, located at 4275 University Ave. in Grand Forks. It’ll be followed by a reception, according to the announcement.
Buchli, who hails from New Rockford, was the first North Dakotan to fly in space. He was first selected for NASA’s space shuttle program in 1978, and went on to complete four space flights over his career. In total, Buchli spent 20 days in space, orbited the Earth 319 times and traveled more than 7.74 million miles.
Following his flight career, Buchli was deputy chief of the astronaut office for NASA where he facilitated astronaut training and operations. He holds a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering systems from the University of West Florida, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Marine Corps veteran.
In 2019, he was inducted in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
“Theodore Roosevelt got it right when he said that without the time he spent in North Dakota, he would never have been president,” Buchli said in a May statement. “North Dakota has given me the work ethic, determination and tenacity to succeed, just as it has for many others. For that gift, I am truly grateful.”
The Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award honors North Dakotans who have achieved national recognition for their accomplishments. Award winners are granted the rank of colonel in the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Riders. Previous winners include Lawrence Welk, Roger Maris, Peggy Lee, Phil Jackson, Angie Dickinson, Bobby Vee and Doug Burgum.
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