We keep pushing the boundaries of what's
possible because we're evolving, we're
growing, we're learning.
We as a human race have always done that
and we should continue to do that.
My name is Nicole Mann and I am the
spacecraft Commander for NASA's SpaceX
Crew-5 Mission to the International
Space Station.
I was born in Northern California just a
little bit above San Francisco and I
lived there until I graduated from high
school. I was interested in math and
science and I really enjoyed playing
soccer. That as a young person I think
got me developed into working on a team
and really enjoying that. I knew that I
wanted to go to college. I became
interested in military service as well. I
think it was a part of being on a team
and part of being of something bigger
than just me. Annapolis the Naval Academy
served a great engineering school as
well as an incredible soccer team. I
studied mechanical engineering because
you could study in a classroom but then
you could actually create something and
prove that concept. When I graduated I
was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the United States Marine Corps and
fortunately I had the opportunity to
continue my education at Stanford
University. After Stanford I went off to
the basic school and then off to flight
school. In the Marine Corps when I had
the opportunity to put in what we call
our wish list of what we'd like to fly.
F-18 Hornets were at the top of my list.
I didn't realize that I wanted to be an
astronaut until a little bit later in
life.
I think for me there's always goals that
I set in life and then when you achieve
that goal you kind of look and say okay
well what next? What else could I do? And
naturally NASA and becoming an astronaut
was something that definitely appealed
to me.
getting that phone call being selected
To become an astronaut was overwhelming!
Your joy, you're amazed, you're excited,
you're in awe! And you think for a second
did this really happen? Am I Dreaming?
Is this real? ...space flight.
Introducing NASA astronaut Nicole Aunapu
Aunapu Mann. We have a crew of four astronauts
going to the International Space Station.
I feel like we've been training for a
long time and we're ready to go
but the idea of actually launching and
leaving the planet for the first time
sometimes it still feels like a dream to
me.
we explore for the benefit of all
humankind.
from space when you look at Earth you
don't See borders you don't see
boundaries.
You see a human race,
and you realize if we work together the
things that we're able to accomplish are
incredible.