December 5, 2007

A former University of Virginia graduate student is getting ready to face the final frontier. Leland Melvin is set to head to outer space Thursday.

Melvin works for the robotics branch of the astronaut office at Nasa. He received his master's degree from UVa in 1991, and was named outstanding young engineer in 2004, by the Virginia engineering foundation.

Melvin decided to focus on space travel after a brief stint in the NFL.

Melvin will be on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis that will blast off Thursday. The shuttle will contain Europe's primary component of the international space station.