In this artist’s concept, the ocean-observing satellite Sentinel-6B orbits Earth with its deployable solar panels extended.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for Sentinel-6B, an international mission delivering critical sea level and ocean data to protect coastal infrastructure, improve weather forecasting, and support commercial activities at sea.
Launch is targeted at 12:21 a.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST, Sunday, Nov. 16) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Watch coverage beginning at 11:30 p.m. EST (8:30 p.m. PST) on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The Sentinel-6B mission continues a decades-long effort to monitor global sea level and ocean conditions using precise radar measurements from space. Since the early 1990s, satellites launched by NASA and domestic and international partners have collected precise sea level data. The launch of Sentinel-6B will extend this dataset out to nearly four decades.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Saturday, Nov. 15
4 p.m. – NASA Prelaunch Teleconference on International Ocean Tracking Mission
Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington
Pierrik Veuilleumier, Sentinel-6B project manager, ESA (European Space Agency)
Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6B project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
Tim Dunn, senior launch director, Launch Services Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
1st Lt. William Harbin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force
11:30 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more.
Audio-only coverage
Audio-only of the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220 or -1240. On launch day, “mission audio” countdown activities without NASA+ launch commentary will be carried at 321-867-7135.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include links to live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 11 p.m. EST, Nov. 16, as the countdown milestones occur. Streaming video and photos of the launch will be accessible on demand shortly after liftoff. Follow countdown coverage on NASA’s Sentinel-6/Jason-CS blog.
For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at: 321-867-2468.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, engage on social media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
Sentinel-6B is the second of twin satellites in the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission, a collaboration among NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The first satellite in the mission, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, launched in November 2020. The European Commission contributed funding support, while France’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) provided technical expertise. The mission also marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme.
Captured on Aug. 21, this image from NISAR’s L-band radar shows Maine’s Mount Desert Island. Green indicates forest; magenta represents hard or regular surfaces, like bare ground and buildings. The magenta area on the island’s northeast end is the town of Bar Harbor.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Earth-observing radar satellite’s first images of our planet’s surface are in, and they offer a glimpse of things to come as the joint mission between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) approaches full science operations later this year.
“Launched under President Trump in conjunction with India, NISAR’s first images are a testament to what can be achieved when we unite around a shared vision of innovation and discovery,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “This is only the beginning. NASA will continue to build upon the incredible scientific advancements of the past and present as we pursue our goal to maintain our nation’s space dominance through Gold Standard Science.”
Images from the spacecraft, which was launched by ISRO on July 30, display the level of detail with which NISAR scans Earth to provide unique, actionable information to decision-makers in a diverse range of areas, including disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and agricultural management.
“By understanding how our home planet works, we can produce models and analysis of how other planets in our solar system and beyond work as we prepare to send humanity on an epic journey back to the Moon and onward to Mars,” said NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya. “The successful capture of these first images from NISAR is a remarkable example of how partnership and collaboration between two nations, on opposite sides of the world, can achieve great things together for the benefit of all.”
On Aug. 21, the satellite’s L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, which was provided by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, captured Mount Desert Island on the Maine coast. Dark areas represent water, while green areas are forest, and magenta areas are hard or regular surfaces, such as bare ground and buildings. The L-band radar system can resolve objects as small as 15 feet (5 meters), enabling the image to display narrow waterways cutting across the island, as well as the islets dotting the waters around it.
Then, on Aug. 23, the L-band SAR captured data of a portion of northeastern North Dakota straddling Grand Forks and Walsh counties. The image shows forests and wetlands on the banks of the Forest River passing through the center of the frame from west to east and farmland to the north and south. The dark agricultural plots show fallow fields, while the lighter colors represent the presence of pasture or crops, such as soybean and corn. Circular patterns indicate the use of center-pivot irrigation.
On Aug. 23, NISAR imaged land adjacent to northeastern North Dakota’s Forest River. Light-colored wetlands and forests line the river’s banks, while circular and rectangular plots throughout the image appear in shades that indicate the land may be pasture or cropland with corn or soy.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The images demonstrate how the L-band SAR can discern what type of land cover — low-lying vegetation, trees, and human structures — is present in each area. This capability is vital both for monitoring the gain and loss of forest and wetland ecosystems, as well as for tracking the progress of crops through growing seasons around the world.
“These initial images are just a preview of the hard-hitting science that NISAR will produce — data and insights that will enable scientists to study Earth’s changing land and ice surfaces in unprecedented detail while equipping decision-makers to respond to natural disasters and other challenges,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “They are also a testament to the years of hard work of hundreds of scientists and engineers from both sides of the world to build an observatory with the most advanced radar system ever launched by NASA and ISRO.”
The L-band system uses a 10-inch (25-centimeter) wavelength that enables its signal to penetrate forest canopies and measure soil moisture and motion of ice surfaces and land down to fractions of an inch, which is a key measurement in understanding how the land surface moves before, during, and after earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
The preliminary L-band images are an example of what the mission team will be able to produce when the science phase begins in November. The satellite was raised into its operational 464-mile (747-kilometer) orbit in mid-September.
The NISAR mission also includes an S-band radar, provided by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, that uses a 4-inch (10-centimeter) microwave signal that is more sensitive to small vegetation, making it effective at monitoring certain types of agriculture and grassland ecosystems.
The spacecraft is the first to carry both L- and S-band radars. The satellite will monitor Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, collecting data using the spacecraft’s drum-shaped antenna reflector, which measures 39 feet (12 meters) wide — the largest NASA has ever sent into space.
The NISAR mission is a partnership between NASA and ISRO spanning years of technical and programmatic collaboration. The successful launch and deployment of NISAR builds on a strong heritage of cooperation between the United States and India in space.
The Space Applications Centre provided the mission’s S-band SAR. The U R Rao Satellite Centre provided the spacecraft bus. The launch vehicle was provided by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, and launch services were through Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Key operations, including boom and radar antenna reflector deployment, are now being executed and monitored by the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network’s global system of ground stations.
Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, NASA JPL leads the U.S. component of the project. In addition to the L-band SAR, reflector, and boom, JPL also provided the high-rate communication subsystem for science data, a solid-state data recorder, and payload data subsystem. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Near Space Network, which receives NISAR’s L-band data.
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, shown in this artist’s concept, orbits Earth as it studies the ever-changing universe.
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab
Driving rapid innovation in the American space industry, NASA has awarded Katalyst Space Technologies of Flagstaff, Arizona, a contract to raise a spacecraft’s orbit. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft will rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise it to a higher altitude, demonstrating a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission’s science lifetime.
NASA’s Swift launched in 2004 to explore the universe’s most powerful explosions, called gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft’s low Earth orbit has been decaying gradually, which happens to satellites over time. However, because of recent increases in the Sun’s activity, Swift is experiencing more atmospheric drag than anticipated, speeding up its orbital decay. While NASA could have allowed the observatory to reenter Earth’s atmosphere, as many missions do at the end of their lifetimes, Swift’s lowering orbit presents an opportunity to advance American spacecraft servicing technology.
“This industry collaboration to boost Swift’s orbit is just one of many ways NASA works for the nation every day,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By moving quickly to pursue innovative commercial solutions, we’re further developing the space industry and strengthening American space leadership. This daring mission also will demonstrate our ability to go from concept to implementation in less than a year — a rapid-response capability important for our future in space as we send humans back to the Moon under the Artemis campaign, to Mars, and beyond.”
The orbit boost is targeted for spring 2026, though NASA will continue to monitor any changes in solar activity that may impact this target timeframe. A successful Swift boost would be the first time a commercial robotic spacecraft captures a government satellite that is uncrewed, or not originally designed to be serviced in space.
“Given how quickly Swift’s orbit is decaying, we are in a race against the clock, but by leveraging commercial technologies that are already in development, we are meeting this challenge head-on,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters. “This is a forward-leaning, risk-tolerant approach for NASA. But attempting an orbit boost is both more affordable than replacing Swift’s capabilities with a new mission, and beneficial to the nation — expanding the use of satellite servicing to a new and broader class of spacecraft.”
Swift leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works. For more than two decades, Swift has led NASA’s missions in providing new insights on these events, together broadening our understanding of everything from exploding stars, stellar flares, and eruptions in active galaxies, to comets and asteroids in our own solar system and high-energy lightning events on Earth.
NASA has awarded Katalyst $30 million to move forward with implementation under a Phase III award as an existing participant in NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. This approach allowed NASA to pursue an orbit boost for Swift on a shorter development timeline than would otherwise be possible, given the rapid rate at which Swift’s orbit is decaying.
“America’s space economy is brimming with cutting-edge solutions, and opportunities like this allow NASA to tap into them for real-world challenges,” said Clayton Turner, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. “Orbital decay is a common, natural occurrence for satellites, and this collaboration may open the door to extending the life of more spacecraft in the future. By working with industry, NASA fosters rapid, agile technology development, advancing capabilities to benefit the missions of today and unlock the discoveries of tomorrow.”
The NASA SBIR program is part of America’s Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage, non-dilutive funding for innovative technologies. Through this program, entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with less than 500 employees can receive funding and non-monetary support to build, mature, and commercialize their technologies, advancing NASA missions and helping solve important challenges facing our country.
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Swift mission in collaboration with Penn State, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, Virginia. Other partners include the UK Space Agency, University of Leicester and Mullard Space Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom, Brera Observatory in Italy, and the Italian Space Agency.
Attendees are seen by the NASA exhibit at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington.
Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Led by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, an agency delegation will participate in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia, from Sunday, Sept. 28 to Friday, Oct. 3.
The IAC, organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), is hosted this year by the Space Industry Association of Australia.
During the congress, NASA will highlight America’s leadership in human exploration to the Moon and Mars, responsible exploration under the Artemis Accords, and support for the commercial space sector in the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.
To view select events, visit the IAF YouTube channel, onsite at International Convention Centre Sydney, and across social media channels, including NASA updates on @SecDuffyNASA and @NASA X accounts.
Sunday, Sept. 28
11:45 p.m. EDT (Monday, Sept. 29, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “One-to-One with Global Space Leaders” plenary featuring Duffy
Monday, Sept. 29
11:45 p.m. EDT (Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “Learning to Live on Another World: The International Community’s Return to the Moon” plenary featuring Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator of the Strategy and Architecture Office, NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “From Low Earth Orbit to Lunar: Delivering Sustainable Innovation in Space” forum featuring Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program
8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “Early Warnings for All – From Satellites to Action” special session featuring Karen St. Germain, division director, Earth Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Tuesday, Sept. 30
1 a.m. EDT (3 p.m. AEST): “The Artemis Accords: Safe, Sustainable, and Transparent Space Exploration” special session featuring NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails
Wednesday, Oct. 1
7 p.m. EDT (Thursday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. AEST): “Space Sustainability: Regional Priorities, Global Responsibility” plenary featuring Alvin Drew, lead, NASA space sustainability and acting director, Space Operations Mission Directorate’s Cross-Directorate Technical Integration Office
Thursday, Oct. 2
9:35 p.m. EDT (Friday, Oct. 3, 11:35 a.m. AEST): “25 Years of the International Space Station: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow”special session with Robyn Gatens, director, International Space Station and acting director, Commercial Spaceflight division, Space Operations Mission Directorate
A full agenda for this year’s IAC is available online.
Members of the media registered for IAC will have an opportunity to meet with NASA leadership. To register, media must apply through the IAC website.
Monday, Sept. 29
3:15 a.m. EDT (5:15 p.m. AEST): Artemis Accords media briefing with Duffy, Head of Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo, and UAE Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi
In addition to the events outlined above, NASA will have an exhibit featuring the agency’s cutting-edge contributions to space exploration, including its science and technology missions. NASA will host subject matter expert talks throughout the week at the exhibit.
NASA’s exhibit booth number is 132, and will be located in hall one of the International Convention Centre Sydney.
To learn more about NASA international partnerships, visit:
La NASA anunció su promoción de candidatos a astronautas de 2025 el 22 de septiembre de 2025. Los diez candidatos, que aparecen aquí en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA en Houston, son: el suboficial mayor de 3.ª clase del Ejército de los Estados Unidos Ben Bailey, el mayor de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos Cameron Jones, Katherine Spies, Anna Menon, la capitana de corbeta de la Marina de los Estados Unidos Erin Overcash, el mayor de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos Adam Fuhrmann, la Dra. Lauren Edgar, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler y la Dra. Imelda Muller.
Diez nuevos candidatos a astronauta de la NASA fueron presentados el lunes tras un competitivo proceso de selección en el que participaron más de 8.000 aspirantes de todo Estados Unidos. Ahora, la nueva clase completará casi dos años de formación antes de poder optar a asignaciones de vuelo en apoyo de futuras misiones científicas y de exploración a la órbita terrestre baja, la Luna y Marte.
El administrador interino de la NASA, Sean Duffy, dio la bienvenida a la promoción de candidatos a astronautas estadounidenses de 2025 durante una ceremonia celebrada en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la agencia en Houston.
“¡Es un honor para mí dar la bienvenida a nuestra agencia a la próxima generación de exploradores estadounidenses! Más de 8.000 candidatos se presentaron a esta convocatoria: científicos, pilotos, ingenieros y soñadores, de todos los rincones del país. Los diez hombres y mujeres que hoy se sientan aquí personifican la realidad de que, en Estados Unidos, independientemente de dónde se empiece, no hay límites para lo que un soñador decidido puede lograr, ni siquiera ir al espacio”, afirmó Duffy. “Juntos, daremos paso a la Edad de Oro de la exploración”.
La 24.ª promoción de astronautas de la agencia se presentó al servicio en el centro Johnson a mediados de septiembre y comenzó inmediatamente su entrenamiento. Su plan de estudios incluye instrucción y adquisición de destrezas para operaciones complejas a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional, en misiones Artemis a la Luna y más allá. En concreto, la capacitación incluye robótica, supervivencia en tierra y agua, geología, idiomas extranjeros, medicina y fisiología espaciales, entre otras materias, además de simulacros de caminatas espaciales y vuelos en aviones de alto rendimiento.
Tras su graduación, la promoción de 2025 se incorporará al cuerpo de astronautas activos de la agencia. Los astronautas en activo llevan a cabo investigaciones científicas a bordo de la estación espacial, a la vez que se preparan para la transición a estaciones espaciales comerciales y los próximos grandes avances en la exploración humana de la Luna y Marte. La experiencia operativa, los conocimientos científicos y la formación y experiencia técnica de los candidatos son esenciales para avanzar en los objetivos de exploración del espacio profundo de la NASA y mantener una presencia humana a largo plazo más allá de la órbita terrestre baja.
Los candidatos a astronauta de 2025 son:
Ben Bailey, de 38 años de edad, suboficial mayor de 3.ª clase del Ejército de los Estados Unidos, nació y se crio en Charlottesville, Virginia. Es licenciado en Ingeniería Mecánica de la Universidad de Virginia y está completando una maestría en Ingeniería de Sistemas en la Escuela Naval de Postgrado en Monterrey, California. Bailey es graduado de la Escuela de Pilotos de Prueba de la Marina de los Estados Unidos, y tiene más de 2.000 horas de vuelo en más de 30 aeronaves diferentes, tanto de ala fija como rotatoria. En el momento de su selección, Bailey era responsable de las pruebas de desarrollo de tecnologías emergentes a bordo de aeronaves de ala rotatoria del Ejército, especializándose en el UH-60 Black Hawk y el CH-47F Chinook.
Lauren Edgar, de 40 años de edad, considera a Sammamish, Washington, su ciudad natal. Obtuvo una licenciatura en Ciencias de la Tierra en Dartmouth College, y una maestría y un doctorado en Geología en el Instituto Tecnológico de California. Edgar se ha desempeñado como investigadora principal adjunta del equipo de geología de Artemis III. En este cargo, ayudó a definir los objetivos científicos lunares, las actividades de geología que llevarán a cabo los astronautas de la NASA y las operaciones científicas para el regreso de la NASA a la Luna. También dedicó más de 17 años a apoyar a los rovers de exploración de Marte. Era científica participante en el Laboratorio de Ciencias de Marte en el momento de su selección.
Adam Fuhrman, de 35 años de edad, mayor de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos, es originario de Leesburg, Virginia, y ha acumulado más de 2.100 horas de vuelo en 27 aeronaves diferentes, incluyendo el F-16 y el F-35. Es licenciado en Ingeniería Aeroespacial por el Instituto de Tecnología de Massachusetts y tiene una maestría en Ingeniería de Pruebas de Vuelo y otra en Ingeniería de Sistemas de la Escuela de Pilotos de Pruebas de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos y la Universidad de Purdue, respectivamente. Ha participado en las operaciones Centinela de la libertad y Apoyo decidido, con 400 horas de combate a sus espaldas. En el momento de su selección, Fuhrmann ocupaba el cargo de director de operaciones de una unidad de pruebas de vuelo de la Fuerza Aérea.
Cameron Jones, de 35 años de edad, mayor de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos, es oriundo de Savanna, Illinois. Tienes una licenciatura y una maestría en Ingeniería Aeroespacial de la Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign. También es graduado de la Escuela de Pilotos de Pruebas de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos en la Base Aérea Edwards, en California, y en la Escuela de Armas de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos en la Base Aérea Nellis, en Nevada. Es un piloto de pruebas con amplia experiencia, con más de 1.600 horas de vuelo en más de 30 aeronaves diferentes, incluyendo 150 horas de combate. En el momento de su selección, Jones era miembro académico de la Fuerza Aérea en la Agencia de Proyectos de Investigación Avanzada de Defensa.
Yuri Kubo, de 40 años de edad, es oriundo de Columbus, Indiana. Obtuvo una licenciatura en Ingeniería Eléctrica y una maestría en Ingeniería Eléctrica e Informática de la Universidad de Purdue. Trabajó durante 12 años en diferentes equipos de SpaceX, incluyendo como director de lanzamiento de los cohetes Falcon 9, director de aviónica para el programa Starshield y director del Segmento Terrestre. Al principio de su carrera, Kubo fue estudiante en el Programa de Educación Cooperativa del centro Johnson, donde completó varias rotaciones en apoyo a la nave espacial Orion, la Estación Espacial Internacional y el programa del transbordador espacial. En el momento de su selección, Kubo era vicepresidente sénior de Electric Hydrogen.
Rebecca Lawler, de 38 años de edad, es originaria de Little Elm, Texas, y excapitana de corbeta de la Marina de los Estados Unidos. Es expiloto de aviones P-3 de la Marina y expiloto de pruebas experimentales con más de 2.800 horas de vuelo en más de 45 aeronaves. Lawler es licenciada en Ingeniería Mecánica de la Academia Naval de los Estados Unidos y tiene maestrías de la Universidad Johns Hopkins y la Escuela Nacional de Pilotos de Pruebas. También es graduada de la Escuela de Pilotos de Pruebas de la Marina de los Estados Unidos. Lawler voló anteriormente como cazadora de huracanes para la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica y pilotó vuelos de la Operación IceBridge de la NASA. En el momento de su selección era piloto de pruebas de United Airlines.
Anna Menon, de 39 años de edad, es originaria de Houston y obtuvo su licenciatura en la Universidad Cristiana de Texas con una doble especialización en Matemáticas y Español. También tiene un máster en Ingeniería Biomédica de la Universidad de Duke. Menon trabajó anteriormente en el Centro de Control de Misión del centro Johnson de la NASA, prestando apoyo al hardware y software médico a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional. En 2024, Menon voló al espacio como especialista de misión y oficial médico a bordo de la misión Polaris Dawn de SpaceX. En esta misión, se estableció un nuevo récord de altitud para una mujer, se realizó la primera caminata espacial comercial y se completaron aproximadamente 40 experimentos de investigación. En el momento de su selección, Menon era ingeniera sénior en SpaceX.
Imelda Muller, de 34 años de edad, considera a Copake Falls, Nueva York, su ciudad natal. Fue teniente de la Marina de los Estados Unidos y prestó servicio como oficial médico de buceo tras formarse en el Instituto Médico para Buceo de la Escuela Naval. Muller obtuvo una licenciatura en neurociencia conductual de la Northeastern University y una licenciatura en medicina de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Vermont. Su experiencia incluye la prestación de apoyo médico durante el entrenamiento operativo en buceo de la Marina en el Laboratorio de Flotabilidad Neutral de la NASA. En el momento de su selección, Muller estaba completando su residencia en anestesia en la Escuela de Medicina Johns Hopkins en Baltimore.
Erin Overcash, de 34 años de edad, capitana de corbeta de la Marina de Estados Unidos, es originaria de Goshen, Kentucky. Es licenciada en Ingeniería Aeroespacial y tiene una maestría en Bioastronáutica de la Universidad de Colorado, Boulder. Graduada por la Escuela de Pilotos de Pruebas de la Marina de los Estados Unidos, Overcash es una experimentada piloto de aeronaves F/A-18E y F/A-18F Super Hornet con participación en múltiples despliegues militares. Ha acumulado más de 1.300 horas de vuelo en 20 aeronaves, incluyendo 249 aterrizajes de apontaje en portaaviones. Overcash formó parte del Programa de Atletas de Clase Mundial de la Marina y se entrenó a tiempo completo en el Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico con el Equipo Nacional Femenino de Rugby de Estados Unidos. En el momento de su selección, se estaba entrenando para una rotación como jefa de departamento de escuadrón.
Katherine Spies, de 43 años de edad, es originaria de San Diego y tiene una licenciatura en Ingeniería Química de la Universidad del Sur de California y una maestría en Ingeniería de Diseño de la Universidad de Harvard. Es expiloto de helicópteros de ataque AH-1 del Cuerpo de Marines y expiloto de pruebas experimentales, con más de 2.000 horas de vuelo en más de 30 aeronaves diferentes. Graduada de la Escuela de Pilotos de Pruebas de la Marina de los Estados Unidos, ocupó el cargo de oficial de proyectos para aviones UH-1Y/AH-1Z y coordinadora de la plataforma AH-1W durante su servicio activo. En el momento de su selección, Spies era directora de ingeniería de pruebas de vuelo en Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.
Con la incorporación de estos diez candidatos, la NASA ha seleccionado a un total de 370 candidatos a astronauta desde que eligió al grupo original, conocido como “Mercury Seven”, en 1959.
“Hoy en día, nuestra misión nos impulsa aún más mientras nos preparamos para nuestro próximo gran avance con la nueva clase de candidatos a astronauta de la NASA”, afirmó Vanessa Wyche, directora del centro Johnson de la NASA. “Esta promoción, que representa a los mejores y más brillantes de Estados Unidos, marcará el comienzo de la edad de oro de la innovación y la exploración conforme avanzamos hacia la Luna y Marte”.
Se ofrecerán entrevistas con los candidatos a astronauta de forma virtual y en persona el martes 7 de octubre. Los representantes de medios de comunicación interesados en esta oportunidad limitada deben ponerse en contacto con la sala de prensa del centro Johnson llamando al teléfono +1 281-483-5111 o por correo electrónico en jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea.
Para obtener más información (en inglés) y fotos de los nuevos aspirantes a astronautas, consulte el sitio web:
NASA announced its 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class on Sept. 22, 2025. The 10 candidates, pictured here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are: U.S. Army CW3 Ben Bailey, U.S. Air Force Maj. Cameron Jones, Katherine Spies, Anna Menon, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash, U.S. Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann, Dr. Lauren Edgar, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, and Dr. Imelda Muller.
NASA’s 10 new astronaut candidates were introduced Monday following a competitive selection process of more than 8,000 applicants from across the United States. The class now will complete nearly two years of training before becoming eligible for flight assignments supporting future science and exploration missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy welcomed the all-American 2025 astronaut candidate class during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“I’m honored to welcome the next generation of American explorers to our agency! More than 8,000 people applied – scientists, pilots, engineers, dreamers from every corner of this nation. 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,” said Duffy. “Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.”
The agency’s 24th astronaut class reported for duty at NASA Johnson in mid-September and immediately began their training. Their curriculum includes instruction and skills development for complex operations aboard the International Space Station, Artemis missions to the Moon, and beyond. Specifically, training includes robotics, land and water survival, geology, foreign language, space medicine and physiology, and more, while also conducting simulated spacewalks and flying high-performance jets.
After graduation, the 2025 class will join the agency’s active astronaut corps. Active astronauts are conducting science research aboard the space station while preparing for the transition to commercial space stations and the next great leaps in human exploration at the Moon and Mars. The candidates’ operational expertise, scientific knowledge, and technical backgrounds are essential to advancing NASA’s deep space exploration goals and sustaining a long-term human presence beyond low Earth orbit.
The 2025 astronaut candidates are:
Ben Bailey, 38, chief warrant officer 3, U.S. Army, was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and is completing a master’s in systems engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Bailey is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. At the time of his selection, Bailey was responsible for the developmental testing of emerging technologies aboard Army rotary wing aircraft, specializing in the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47F Chinook.
Lauren Edgar, 40, considers Sammamish, Washington, her hometown. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College, and her master’s and doctorate in geology from the California Institute of Technology. Edgar has served as the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team. In this role, she helped define lunar science goals, geology activities NASA astronauts will conduct, and science operations for NASA’s return to the Moon. She also spent more than 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers. She was working at the U.S. Geological Survey at the time of her selection.
Adam Fuhrmann, 35, major, U.S. Air Force, is from Leesburg, Virginia, and has accumulated more than 2,100 flight hours in 27 aircraft, including the F-16 and F-35. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and master’s degrees in flight test engineering and systems engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and Purdue University, respectively. He has deployed in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support, logging 400 combat hours. At the time of his selection, Fuhrmann served as the director of operations for an Air Force flight test unit.
Cameron Jones, 35, major, U.S. Air Force, is a native of Savanna, Illinois. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He’s an experienced test pilot with more than 1,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft, including 150 combat hours. The majority of his flight time is in the F-22 Raptor. At the time of his selection, Jones was an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Yuri Kubo, 40, is a native of Columbus, Indiana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University. He spent 12 years working across various teams at SpaceX, including as launch director for Falcon 9 rocket launches, director of avionics for the Starshield program, and director of Ground Segment. Earlier in his career, Kubo was a co-op student at NASA Johnson, where he completed multiple tours supporting the Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station, and the Space Shuttle Program. At the time of his selection, Kubo was the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen.
Rebecca Lawler, 38, is a native of Little Elm, Texas, and a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. She is a former Navy P-3 pilot and experimental test pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours in more than 45 aircraft. Lawler holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the National Test Pilot School. She also is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate. Lawler also flew as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane hunter and during NASA’s Operation IceBridge. She was a test pilot for United Airlines at the time of selection.
Anna Menon, 39, is from Houston and earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University with a double major in mathematics and Spanish. She also holds a master’s in biomedical engineering from Duke University. Menon previously worked in the Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson, supporting medical hardware and software aboard the International Space Station. In 2024, Menon flew to space as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn. The mission saw a new female altitude record, the first commercial spacewalk, and the completion of approximately 40 research experiments. At the time of her selection, Menon was a senior engineer at SpaceX.
Imelda Muller, 34, considers Copake Falls, New York, her hometown. She formerly was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and served as an undersea medical officer after training at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute. Muller earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience from Northeastern University and a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Her experience includes providing medical support during Navy operational diving training at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. At the time of her selection, Muller was completing a residency in anesthesia at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Erin Overcash, 34, lieutenant commander, U.S. Navy, is from Goshen, Kentucky. She holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s in bioastronautics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. A U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate, Overcash is an experienced F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet pilot with multiple deployments. She has logged more than 1,300 flight hours in 20 aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings. Overcash was part of the Navy’s World Class Athlete Program and trained full-time at the Olympic Training Center with the USA Rugby Women’s National Team. She was training for a squadron department head tour at the time of selection.
Katherine Spies, 43, is a native of San Diego and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California and a master’s in design engineering from Harvard University. She is 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. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, she served as UH-1Y/AH-1Z project officer and AH-1W platform coordinator during her time on active duty. At the time of her selection, Spies was the director of flight test engineering at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.
With the addition of these 10 individuals, NASA now has recruited 370 astronaut candidates since selecting the original Mercury Seven in 1959.
“Today, our mission propels us even further as we prepare for our next giant leap with NASA’s newest astronaut candidate class,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA Johnson. “Representing America’s best and brightest, this astronaut candidate class will usher in the Golden Age of innovation and exploration as we push toward the Moon and Mars.”
The astronaut candidates will be available to speak with media virtually and in-person on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Media interested in this limited opportunity should contact the NASA Johnson Newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
Find photos and additional information about the new astronaut candidates at:
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