T-Minus Greatness!  USTA tennis launches into space

One small leap for man – one giant leap for the game of tennis!

The sport of tennis will be reaching new heights in 2018 when the USTA and NASA astronaut A.J. ‘Drew’ Feustel attempt a tennis match in space, powered by Net Generation. 

On March 21,  2018, Feustel, along with compatriot and fellow NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold and crewmate Oleg Artemyev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, will blast off into space as members of Expedition 55.

The trio will join members of the Expedition 55 crew at the International Space Station, where for six months they will take part in approximately 250 research investigations and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth in order to advance scientific knowledge of Earth, space, physical and biological sciences. 

Feustel, a Lake Orion, Mich., native holds a doctorate in Geological Sciences. He was first selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2000. Since then, he has flown on two spaceflights, logging more than 29 days in space, and has spent more than 42 hours on six spacewalks.

In addition to his passion for the final frontier, Feustel is also an avid tennis player and fan. 

“Tennis is one of my loves, actually tennis is because of my love,” Feustel said at the Expedition 55 NASA Press Conference on Thursday. “Tennis came into my life later, after I met my wife. She comes from a huge tennis playing family, and those experiences and those interests rubbed off on me and our kids.”

Expedition 55, Feustel’s third spaceflight, may be his most adventurous yet. With two mini racquets and balls provided by the USTA, Feustel will marry his profession for space travel and passion for tennis to play a tennis match in space.

Leading up to Expedition 55’s blastoff, the USTA will share insights into Feustel's preparation for liftoff and inspire the next generation of greats – about space exploration and the limitless adventures that tennis has to offer. 

To start your odyessey on the tennis court now and explore the endless possibilities on and off the court with Net Generation, visit www.netgeneration.usta.com.