Kirt attended Washington State University, where he graduated with a degree in Physics and later went on to earn his Master's in Business. Upon graduation from WSU, he entered the USAF, where he had the privilege of flying the T-38, B-52, and closed his military life flying the U-2.
He then began flying for Pan American World Airways, where he flew until its demise in 1991. While there, he met his wife, Andie. After the Pan Am days, they married and moved to Japan, where he flew for Japan Air System for the next seven years. After returning to the US in 1998, he joined the UPS family and flew A310, MD-11, and 747-400 aircraft, retiring in 2014 as a Captain on the 757/767. When asked about his flying days, he would often say, "I’ve never worked a day in my life!” He loved flying, and it was apparent anytime he had the opportunity to talk about it.
Kirt's lifelong desire was for interstellar travel. This launch fulfills that desire.
