America’s Best and Brightest Join Ranks as NASA Names 24th Astronaut Class
NASA has welcomed its newest group of astronaut candidates, marking a significant milestone in the agency’s ongoing efforts to explore space. The class of 2025 consists of ten highly qualified individuals who will undergo rigorous training to prepare them for missions to low-Earth orbit and beyond.
NASA’s 24th Class of Astronaut Candidates: The Best and Brightest
The selection process for the new astronaut class was extensive, with over 8,000 applicants competing for a spot in the program. After an exhaustive review, NASA chose four men and six women from various backgrounds to join their ranks. This diverse group includes military officers, engineers, a physician, and a scientist, all of whom possess the skills and experience necessary to excel in the demanding field of space exploration.
Meet the 2025 Astronaut Class
The new astronaut candidates include:
- Ben Bailey, 38, a chief warrant officer 3 in the US Army with over 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.
- Lauren Edgar, 40, a geologist with extensive experience supporting Mars exploration rovers and serving as deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team.
- Adam Fuhrmann, 35, a major in the US Air Force with over 2,100 flight hours in 27 aircraft, including the F-16 and F-35.
- Cameron Jones, 35, a test pilot with more than 1,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft, including 150 combat hours.
- Yuri Kubo, 40, a former SpaceX engineer with experience working on the Falcon 9 rocket and director of avionics for the Starshield program.
- Rebecca Lawler, 38, a former lieutenant commander in the US Navy with over 2,800 flight hours in more than 45 aircraft.
- Anna Menon, 39, a medical officer who flew to space as a mission specialist aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn and completed approximately 40 research experiments.
- Imelda Muller, 34, a physician with experience providing medical support during Navy operational diving training at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
- Erin Overcash, 34, an F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet pilot with multiple deployments and over 1,300 flight hours in 20 aircraft.
- Katherine Spies, 43, a former Marine Corps AH-1 attack helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.
These individuals will undergo extensive training, learning about orbital mechanics, basic spacecraft systems, spacewalking skills, robotics control, and other essential disciplines for spaceflight. After graduating in 2028, they will become members of NASA’s astronaut corps, which currently has 41 active members.
A New Generation of Space Explorers
The addition of the new astronaut class brings the total number of people recruited to train as astronauts by NASA to 370 since its inception in 1959. With their backgrounds and skills, this group is poised to make significant contributions to the agency’s ongoing exploration efforts, including missions to commercial orbital platforms and the Moon.
With the retirement of the International Space Station in 2030 on the horizon, the new astronaut candidates may not have the opportunity to visit that complex. However, they will be eligible for assignments to low-Earth orbit and beyond, playing a crucial role in advancing humanity’s understanding of space and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
The Path Forward
The new astronaut class will undergo rigorous training, honing their skills in various areas necessary for spaceflight. They will work alongside experienced astronauts and NASA personnel, learning from them and contributing to the agency’s ongoing exploration efforts.
As NASA continues to push the frontiers of space exploration, it is clear that the agency has selected the best and brightest individuals for its new astronaut class. With their diverse backgrounds and skills, this group is poised to make significant contributions to the agency’s ongoing efforts and help advance humanity’s understanding of space.
Conclusion
The selection of the 2025 astronaut class marks a significant milestone in NASA’s ongoing efforts to explore space. This diverse group of individuals brings a wealth of experience and skills to the table, making them ideal candidates for the demands of space exploration. As they undergo training and prepare for their future assignments, it is clear that NASA has once again selected the best and brightest individuals for its astronaut corps.