Apalachin native and US Marine Corps Colonel Doug Hurley is preparing for NASA’s final shuttle launch in July. Colonel Hurley, 44, was born in Endicott but raised in Apalachin. Colonel Hurley was selected to be a pilot for NASA in 2000 and in July of 2009 completed his first space shuttle trip as a pilot. With the shuttle launch approaching Colonel Hurley is looking back on what made him want to become an astronaut. Colonel Hurley says that he could begin training, or assist in the training of others for a long term stay in the International Space Station. Along with his own steps, NASA is advancing their work in other ways. Even though this is Colonel Hurley’s last chance to pilot a space shuttle, he says that the past 30 years have been a great run for the shuttle.
