posted 08-23-2013 03:25 PM               

Astronaut honors JFK's legacy with medal in space

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station has paid tribute to John F. Kennedy, flying a medallion to the orbiting outpost that bears the likeness of the 35th President of the United States.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, who is serving as a flight engineer on board the space station, sent down photos on Wednesday (Aug. 21) showing the medal floating in front of a window with a view of the Earth below.

"As an admirer of President John F. Kennedy and a friend of the Kennedy Library, [U.S. Naval] Commander Cassidy offered to bring a bronze medallion emblazoned with JFK's likeness and a quote from his inaugural address into space to honor President Kennedy's commitment to space exploration," the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum posted to Facebook on Thursday (Aug 22). "Just yesterday, Commander Cassidy sent us these photos of JFK's medallion in space."