After space, Tom Akers returned to Missouri. Now he’s entering the astronaut hall of famecisc

Veteran astronaut Tom Akers was born in St. Louis, grew up in Eminance, Missouri, and attended Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. Then, he went to space — an experience he calls “an honor of a lifetime.” This weekend, Akers will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. He joins STLPR’s Jonathan Ahl ahead of the ceremony to talk about his upbringing, his love of teaching, and making the leap from small-town Missouri to floating in orbit above the planet.