NASA's Astronaut Class Of 2025 Makes History With Majority Of Women

NASA has officially introduced its 2025 class of astronaut candidates, a group of 10 individuals poised to play a pivotal role in the future of American space exploration. This new class, the first in four years, is notable not only for its members' impressive qualifications but also for a historic milestone: for the first time, women outnumber men, with six women and four men making the cut.

Upon successful completion of their training, these 10 individuals will become eligible for a range of flight assignments. These could include missions to the International Space Station, as well as the ambitious Artemis missions to the Moon and, eventually, the first human missions to 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. Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.”

These candidates were selected from a staggering pool of over 8,000 applicants. The chosen few will now embark on a demanding two-year training program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Their training will cover a wide array of subjects, including spacewalking, robotics, spacecraft systems, and learning the Russian language.

Meet the New Class Of Astronauts

The 2025 astronaut class is a diverse group of accomplished individuals from a variety of backgrounds:

Ben Bailey, 38, is a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the U.S. Army and a skilled helicopter pilot with a background in mechanical engineering.

Lauren Edgar, 40, is a geologist with extensive experience in Mars rover missions.

Adam Fuhrmann, 35, is a Major in the U.S. Air Force and an experienced flight test engineer.

Cameron Jones, 35, is a Major in the U.S. Air Force and an F-22 Raptor pilot.

Yuri Kubo, 40, is a former launch director and avionics lead at SpaceX with a background in electrical and computer engineering.

Rebecca Lawler, 38, is a former U.S. Navy test pilot and NOAA hurricane hunter.

Anna Menon, 39, is a biomedical engineer and a veteran of the 2024 Polaris Dawn commercial spaceflight mission.

Imelda Muller, 34, is an anesthesiologist and a former U.S. Navy undersea medical officer.

Erin Overcash, 34, is a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, test pilot, and former Olympic rugby player.

Katherine Spies, 43, is a former U.S. Marine Corps attack helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot.