GRAND FORKS, N.D. (NewsDakota.com/KFGO/North Dakota Monitor) – Astronaut James Buchli will be honored with the 49th Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award at a ceremony on July 30, Gov. Doug Burgum announced Friday.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the University of North Dakota’s Robin Hall, located at 4275 University Ave. in Grand Forks. A reception will follow the ceremony, according to the announcement.

Buchli, a native of New Rockford, was the first North Dakotan to fly in space. Selected for NASA’s space shuttle program in 1978, he completed four space flights, spending a total of 20 days in space. Over his career, Buchli orbited the Earth 319 times and traveled more than 7.74 million miles.

After his flight career, Buchli served as deputy chief of the astronaut office at 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 is a Marine Corps veteran. In 2019, he was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

The Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award honors North Dakotans who have achieved national recognition for their accomplishments. Recipients 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 Gov. Doug Burgum.