When NASA’s 2025 astronaut candidates arrived at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston this fall, they stepped into history, sharing a common mission to master the skills and teamwork that define NASA’s next era of exploration.
Selected from a pool of more than 8,000 applicants, the new class represents a variety of backgrounds – military test pilots, engineers, a physician and a scientist – but all were inspired by moments in their lives that set them on the path to space.
They will spend about two years training before becoming eligible for missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon and eventually Mars. When they graduate, they will join NASA’s active astronaut corps, advancing science aboard the International Space Station and supporting Artemis missions that will take human exploration further than ever before.
During the announcement of the orbit at Johnson on September 22, 2025, center director Vanessa Wyche celebrated the moment as a milestone for the exploration.
“Today is an exciting day for our nation and all of humanity as we introduce NASA’s 2025 astronaut candidates – the next generation who will help us explore the Moon, Mars and beyond,” Wyche said. “Each of these candidates brings unique experiences and perspectives that reflect the diversity of America and the spirit of exploration that defines NASA.”
Behind their new blue flight suits are years of preparation and stories as multifaceted as the missions they will one day support.
Different roads to the same horizon
Some candidates built their careers in the air, where precision, communication and teamwork were part of every mission. Former US Navy pilot and test pilot Rebecca Lawler says this is what attracted her to NASA.
“All these people are coming from different disciplines and levels of expertise, and you’re all working together to keep science flying,” he said. “That’s what excites me most – bringing those experiences together as a team.”
Anesthesiologist and former U.S. Navy Marine medical officer Imelda Mueller said her experience supporting experimental diving teams taught her how people from different backgrounds can come together under one mission, something she also sees at NASA.
Muller remembers looking up at the night sky as a child, being able to see almost every star on a clear night. Her grandfather worked on the Apollo program and shared stories with her, and she says a mixture of looking up at the stars and imagining those missions inspired her dream of becoming an astronaut.
Anna Menon, a biomedical engineer and former flight controller, has seen the human side of space flight from the ground and from space. She supported astronaut health on the space station from the Mission Control Center in Houston and served as a mission specialist and medical officer on SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission.
Anna Menon
NASA astronaut candidate
A native of Houston, she discovered her passion for exploration during a field trip to Johnson in the fourth grade. “That experience lit a fire in me to be a part of the space industry,” he said.
language of human space flight
For the test pilots – including Adam Fuhrman, Cameron Jones, Ben Bailey and Erin Overcash – flight testing taught adaptability, composure and discipline to make quick decisions when it mattered most. As Furman said, it’s about knowing when to lead and when to listen.
adam fuhrman
NASA astronaut candidate
Each astronaut candidate will spend approximately two years learning spacecraft systems, practicing spacewalks in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, flying T-38 jets, and studying geology, robotics and survival training.
As U.S. Army chief warrant officer and helicopter test pilot Ben Bailey said, it’s not one skill that matters most – it’s the combination.
“Each one is exciting in its own right – the flight, the language training, the spacewalk – but doing it all together as a team is the best part,” Bailey said.
During the event, current astronauts welcomed the new class and shared advice from their journeys in human spaceflight. “Thankfully, you’ll have some of the most talented, passionate instructors and an incredibly dedicated team at NASA,” said NASA astronaut Chris Williams. “Some of the most special moments will come when you realize how much you have to learn from each other.”
From the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman encouraged the candidates to “learn everything you can, get to know each other, and enjoy the trip.”
NASA astronaut Johnny Kim followed with a reminder that every explorer looks forward: “The people sitting next to you now will become lifelong friends.”
explorers of the golden age
From geologist Lauren Edgar, who worked on the Curiosity Mars rover and the Artemis III science team, to engineers like Yuri Kubo, who completed seven NASA internships, and Katherine Spies, who designed and tested the flight systems that made exploration possible, each brings a layer of expertise to the agency’s future on the Moon and beyond.
yuri kubo
NASA astronaut candidate
the beginning of a new era
At the announcement ceremony, NASA Flight Operations Director Norm Knight said, “Every lesson learned on the station has paved the way for where we are going – to the Moon, this time to live, and to Mars. We have a group of individuals who are not only extraordinary, but will be inspirational to the United States and our planet.”
Together, the astronaut candidates reflect the spirit of Artemis – curiosity, courage and continuous learning as humanity prepares for its next giant leap.
