NASA[1] has revealed 10 new astronaut candidates, with one set to be the first to step on Mars[2].
The four men and six women make up NASA’s 24th astronaut class – the space agency’s first since 2021.
The recruits include scientists, fighter pilots, engineers, and even a former member of the USA Rugby Women’s National Team.
These aspiring astronauts were chosen from over 8,000 candidates and will now be subject to two years of gruelling training.
Those who make it through the preparation phase will become eligible to take on missions for NASA’s increasingly ambitious human spaceflight programme.
Although they will likely graduate too late to join NASA’s first Artemis missions to the moon[3], they could be the first astronauts to serve on a commercial space station or become the first humans to set foot on the Red Planet.
Revealing the astronauts during a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, NASA administrator Sean Duffy said: ‘The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space.
‘Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.’
NASA has revealed the 10 new astronauts who will make up its first new recruits since 2021, including some who may be the first people to set foot on Mars
The six women and four men were announced during an event at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre
Ben Bailey
Like many astronauts, Ben Bailey, 38, is both a member of the military and an experienced pilot.
Mr Bailey is a chief warrant officer, a senior non–commissioned officer, in the US Army and an experienced test pilot with over 2,000 flight hours in 30 different aircraft.
Prior to joining NASA’s astronaut programme, Mr Bailey was responsible for testing experimental technologies for Army helicopters such as the UH–60 Black Hawk and CH–47F Chinook.
Mr Bailey has also worked as a nuclear engineer, creating propulsion systems for aircraft carriers.
In addition to his military experience, Mr Bailey has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Currently, he is completing a master’s degree in systems engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
Mr Bailey was born in Charlottesville, Virginia and lives with his wife, Dylan Bailey.
Ben Bailey, 38, is a chief warrant officer, a senior non–commissioned officer, in the US Army and an experienced test pilot with over 2,000 flight hours in 30 different aircraft
Dr Lauren Edgar, 40, is a geologist who has spent 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory and even helped to train NASA’s astronauts
Dr Lauren Edgar
Dr Lauren Edgar, 40, is a geologist with almost two decades of experience in space exploration and scientific research.
She has spent 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory and even helped to train NASA’s astronauts.
Prior to becoming an astronaut candidate, Dr Edgar was the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team and helped NASA prepare for its return to the moon.
Her extensive work on planetary exploration has earned her over a dozen awards and honours, including several NASA Group Achievement Awards.
Dr Edgar has earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in geology from the California Institute of Technology.
She was born in Washington, D.C., but says she considers the city of Sammamish, Washington, to be her hometown.
Dr Edgar’s interests outside of science include backpacking, running, yoga, kayaking, and outdoor activities with her dog.
Adam Fuhrmann is an engineer, experimental test pilot, and a Major in the US Air Force. He has 2,100 hours of flight time, including 400 hours combat – primarily in the F–16 and F–35 supersonic fighter jets.
Adam Fuhrmann
As an experimental test pilot and major in the US Air Force, Adam Fuhrmann, 35, has logged over 2,100 flight hours, including 400 hours of combat.
After graduating from MIT with a degree in aerospace engineering and political science, he joined the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and earned his master’s in flight test engineering.
While training to be a pilot, Mr Fuhrmann also completed a second master’s degree in systems engineering at Purdue University.
He has experience flying 27 different types of aircraft, primarily the F–16 and F–35 supersonic fighter jets.
At the time of his selection, Mr Fuhrmann was serving as director of operations for a flight test unit and had recently completed a test assignment at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Mr Fuhrmann comes from Leesburg, Virginia, and lives with his wife, Shauna Fuhrmann, a U.S. Army veteran and small animal veterinarian, and their three children.
He enjoys camping, hiking, skiing, hunting, leatherworking, and classic car restoration.
Cameron Jones
Cameron Jones, 35, is an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and former experimental test pilot for the US Air Force
Cameron Jones, 35, is also an experimental test pilot with the US Air Force with experience in more than 30 different aircraft.
After graduating with a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Mr Jones earned a master’s degree in flight test engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base.
Following his graduation, Mr Jones held a number of roles in the US Air Force, including director of operations for a test flight squadron at Edwards Air Force Base.
Mr Jones has over 1,600 flight hours, including 300 hours of test flights and 150 combat hours – mainly spent flying the F–22 Raptor.
At the time of his selection, Mr Jones was an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Born in Iowa, Jones considers Savanna, Illinois, to be his hometown.
He is married to Cristi Jones, and they are parents of one daughter.
In his spare time, Jones enjoys spending time with his family and dog, hiking, camping, and rafting.
Yuri Kubo, 40, is an engineer who spent over a decade overseeing commercial rocket launches for SpaceX. Mr Kubo also played professional Ultimate Frisbee for the Indianapolis AlleyCats
Yuri Kubo
Yuri Kubo, 40, is an electrical and computer engineer who has spent more than a decade working on commercial rocket launches.
Early in his career, Mr Kubo interned at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, supporting the Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station in mission control, and the Space Shuttle Program.
After graduating with a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University, Mr Kubo joined Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
During his 12 years with the company, Mr Kubo was responsible for helping design the launch site for the Falcon 9 rockets used to take astronauts to the ISS.
He also worked as the launch director for the Falcon 9 launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Mr Kubo would go on to become director of avionics for the Starshield program, a secure satellite network used by government entities for national security purposes.
At the time of selection, he was the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen, a company that designs and manufactures electrolysers.
The ten astronauts will now undergo two years of rigorous training to become eligible for human spaceflight missions. Some may be included in NASA’s lunar or Mars missions in the future
Outside of his work, Mr Kubo also played professional Ultimate Frisbee for the Indianapolis AlleyCats.
He is married with two children and enjoys sports, outdoor activities of all kinds, and playing piano.
Rebecca ‘Becky’ Lawler
Becky Lawler, 38, is a former lieutenant commander in the US Navy and an experienced experimental test pilot.
Ms Lawler earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, followed by a master’s degree in space systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
During that time, Ms Lawler also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
Ms Lawler served in the US Navy for 11 years as a pilot flying the P–3C Orion anti–submarine and surveillance aircraft, accumulating over 300 hours of combat time.
In 2020, she transferred to join the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a hurricane hunter and test pilot.
Rebecca ‘Becky’ Lawler, 38, worked as a hurricane hunter and test pilot for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In two years, Ms Lawler flew aircraft into the eyewalls of 32 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms to gather scientific data
In two years, Ms Lawler flew aircraft into the eyewalls of 32 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms to gather scientific data.
Overall, she has logged 2,800 hours in over 45 different aircraft across the military, general, and commercial aviation domains.
At the time of her selection, Ms Lawler was a test pilot with United Airlines, where she flew the Boeing 737 and 787 and the Airbus A320 series.
She comes from Little Elm, Texas, is married with one child and enjoys running, painting, reading, and spending time with her family.
Anna Menon
Ms Menon, 39, is the only member of NASA’s latest astronaut cohort who has already flown to space.[4]
In 2024, Ms Menon served as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn[5] – the first ever commercial spacewalk.
During the mission, Ms Menon and her crewmates broke the record for the highest altitude above Earth reached by humans at a distance of 875 miles (1,408 kilometres).
Anna Mennon, 39, is the only member of NASA’s latest astronaut cohort who has already flown to space. In 2024, Ms Menon served as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn – the first ever commercial spacewalk
Before working for SpaceX, Ms Mennon earned a dual–major bachelor’s degree in mathematics and Spanish from Texas Christian University and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University.
She then became a biomedical flight controller in Mission Control at NASA Johnson, helping to keep NASA astronauts safe aboard the ISS.
At SpaceX, she worked for seven years, shaping crew operations for the Dragon and Starship spacecraft used in NASA operations.
She also worked in SpaceX mission control as a mission director and crew communicator, serving in these roles for the agency’s historic SpaceX Demo–2 mission and six other SpaceX Dragon flights.
Ms Menon is married to NASA astronaut Anil Menon, and the couple has two children.
Dr Imelda Muller
Dr Muller, 34, is a former lieutenant in the US Navy, where she served as an undersea medical officer.
Dr Muller served as deputy Medical Department head and chair of the Institutional Review Board, overseeing protections for human subjects involved in high–risk diving and hyperbaric research.
Dr Imelda Muller, 34, was a undersea medical officer with the US Navy, responsible for testing decompression safety and psychological resilience for saturation divers
In that role, she supported testing focusing on decompression safety, medical support, and psychological resilience for saturation divers – who are often used as analogues for astronauts.
During that time, Dr Muller also competed as an elite triathlete on the U.S. Military Endurance Sports team and was a member of the All–Navy Triathlon team in 2022.
Prior to her role in the Navy, Dr Muller earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioural neuroscience from Northeastern University and a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine.
At the time of her selection, Muller was completing a residency in anaesthesia at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Dr Muller was born in Mineola, New York, but she considers the rural area of Copake Falls, New York, her hometown.
Erin ‘LOFT’ Overcash
Ms Overcash, 34, is both an experienced pilot and a world–class rugby player with the US National team.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a master’s degree in bioastronautics from the University of Colorado, Ms Overcash joined the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.
Erin ‘LOFT’ Overcash, 34, is an experimental test pilot with 1,300 flight hours in 20 different aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings. She is also a former member of the USA Rugby Women’s National Team
Ms Overcash was deployed multiple times in the Pacific and Middle East and has logged more than 1,300 flight hours in 20 different aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings.
Earlier in her career, she was also a member of the U.S. Navy’s World Class Athlete Program, living and training full–time at the Olympic Training Center with the USA Rugby Women’s National Team.
Ms Overcash earned three Caps with the US national team and is also an Ironman Triathlete.
At the time of her selection, she was training for an operational tour as an F/A–18E department head at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
Ms Overcash comes from Goshen, Kentucky, is married to another naval aviator and enjoys reading, adventure motorcycling, and challenging workouts.
Katherine Spies
Ms Spies, 43, is an AH–1 attack helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, with over 2,000 hours of flight time.
A native of San Diego, California, Ms Spies earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California before graduating from the United States Naval Test Pilot School.
Katherine Spies, 43, is an AH–1 attack helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, with over 2,000 hours of flight time. She also worked for Amazon Prime Air to develop autonomous drone systems
She then went on to earn a master’s degree in design engineering from Harvard University.
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While serving in the US Marine Corps, Ms Spies was promoted to Captain and logged more than 300 hours of combat time.
Following her active military service, Spies joined Amazon Prime Air as a developmental flight test and engineering leader, helping to create autonomous drone systems.
At the time of her selection, she worked with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation as the director of flight test engineering.
Outside her work as a pilot, Ms Spies is an avid skier and worked as an alpine ski instructor in Utah.
How does Katy Perry stack up against the astronauts?
On April 14, 2025, Katy Perry flew to the edge of space[6] aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket.
Her ‘mission’ was met by immediate backlash as fans claimed that the crew didn’t have the right to call themselves astronauts. But would Katy Perry be qualified to join a NASA astronaut class?
On April 14, 2025, Katy Perry flew to the edge of space aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket
NASA has strict requirements for its astronauts and, unfortunately for the pop star, Katy Perry wouldn’t meet many of them.
Education: A master’s degree in a STEM field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics, from an accredited institution.
- Katy Perry does not have any academic qualifications as she dropped out of school to pursue her music career, and later earned a General Educational Development diploma.
Experience: Two years of related professional experience or 1,000 hours of command time on a jet aircraft.
- Katy Perry doesn’t have any relevant experience or a pilot’s licence.
Other qualifications: Astronauts can also be eligible if they are part of a test pilot programme, a medical doctor, or have two years of work towards a PhD.
- Katy Perry does not have any of these qualifications.
Height: Must be between 62 and 75 inches tall.
- At 67 inches tall, Katy Perry is the right height to be an astronaut.
References
- ^ NASA (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Mars (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ join NASA’s first Artemis missions to the moon (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ ho has already flown to space. (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Katy Perry flew to the edge of space (www.dailymail.co.uk)