>> GO FOR MAIN ENGINE START.
WE ARE A GO WITH ALL ELEMENTS OF
THE MISSION.
>> GO FOR LANDING.
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> FIND SOMETHING YOU ARE
PASSIONATE ABOUT.
WE HAVE STOCKERS, RESEARCHERS,
ENGINEERS , SCHOOLTEACHERS THAT
IS WHAT A NASA ASTRONAUT IS.
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> AMERICA LEADS ON EARTH AND IN
SPACE.
>> COME ABOARD TO THE FINAL
FRONTIER.
>> AND LIFTOFF.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
>> GOOD MORNING.
I AM VANESSA WHITE,
DIRECTOR OF NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE
CENTER AND I AM JOINED BY DEPUTY
DIRECTOR STEVE KERNER.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY,
AS WE DEBUT NASA'S 2025 CLASS OF
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE SPECIAL
GUESTS WITH US TODAY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
SENATOR TED CRUZ.
[APPLAUSE]
CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN.
[APPLAUSE]
AND CONGRESSMAN JAKE.
[APPLAUSE]
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE RANDY WEBBER AND DAN
CRENSHAW AND TEXAS
REPRESENTATIVE.
[APPLAUSE]
ADDITIONALLY WITH HAVE SENIOR
LEADERSHIP THAT ARE HERE TODAY
THAT ARE NOT ON THE PROGRAM.
MISS CASEY SWAILS, OUR DEPUTY
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR.
BRIAN HUGHES NASA CHIEF OF
STAFF.
[APPLAUSE]
KEN BOWERSOX OUR ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR SPACE MISSION
DIRECTORATE.
[APPLAUSE]
GLORY GLAZE OUR ACTING ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR OUR SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT MISSION DIRECTORATE.
[APPLAUSE]
AND GENTLEMEN SHE IS ALSO
SERVING AS THE MOON TO MARS
PROGRAM MANAGER AND FROM
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, WE
HAVE DIRECTOR JOSEPH PELFREY.
[APPLAUSE]
AND STENNIS SPACE CENTER
DIRECTOR JOHN BAILEY.
[APPLAUSE]
TODAY IS A VERY EXCITING DAY FOR
ALL OF US HERE, FOR OUR NATION,
ALL OF HUMANITY AS WE ANNOUNCE
THE TEN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN
WILL BEGIN THEIR BASIC TRAINING,
THAT SPAN TWO YEARS, TO
EVENTUALLY EARN THEIR WINGS AND
JOIN NASA'S ACTIVE ASTRONAUT
CORP.
>> THAT TWO-YEAR JOURNEY BEGINS
TODAY.
THE NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BE SPENT
STUDYING AND TRAINING IN THE
WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES.
THEY WILL LEARN NASA'S HISTORY
AND OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
THEY WILL TAKE CLASSES IN
GEOLOGY, LAND AND WATER
SURVIVAL, SPACE HEALTH AND EVEN
GET TO TRAIN IN THE HIGH
PERFORMANCE JETS THEN ENGAGE IN
A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL
ACTIVITIES TO PREPARE THEM FOR
THE MISSIONS THAT WILL HELP NASA
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF
EXPLORATION, TRAVEL TO NEW
DESTINATIONS, SOLAR SYSTEM AND
INSPIRE THE WORLD DISCOVERY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES ALONG
THE WAY.
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IS
PROUD TO BE HOME TO AMERICA'S
ASTRONAUT CORP, BUT WE ARE PROUD
TO LEAD SEVERAL KEY PROGRAMS AND
ORGANIZATIONS FOR NASA.
WE LEAD THE MANAGEMENT,
OPERATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, WHILE SUPPORTING
SEVERAL COMPANIES AS THEY DESIGN
AND DEVELOPMENT COMMERCIAL
LOW-EARTH ORBIT DESTINATIONS.
AND THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL CREW
PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH
INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP AND OPERATE
A NEW GENERATION OF SPACECRAFT
AND LAUNCH SYSTEMS.
ARTEMIS FLIGHT PLANNING AND
OPERATIONS ARE ALSO CONDUCTED
HERE.
AND THE JOHNSON BASED GATEWAY
AND EXTRA VEHICULAR ACTIVITY AND
HUMAN SURFACE MOBILITY PROGRAMS
ARE WORKING WITH INDUSTRY TO
DEVELOP A LUNAR OUTPOST, THE
NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE SUITS
AND LUNAR ROVERS.
IN ADDITION THE SIGNIFICANT
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAMS ,
JOHNSON IMPLEMENTS FOR THE
AGENCY, COMMERCIAL LUNAR PAYLOAD
SERVICE AND INSTRUMENTAL PART OF
ARTEMIS THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH
INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE ROBOTIC
CAPABILITIES FOR THE MOON AND
MARS.
>> ALL OF THESE EFFORTS ARE
POSITIONING US FOR THE NEXT
GIANT LEAP.
ONE THAT USHERS IN A NEW GOLDEN
AGE OF INNOVATION AND
EXPLORATION.
>> THE ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES WE
ANNOUNCE TODAY WILL HELP US GET
THERE.
THEY WERE SELECTED FROM A POOL
OF ABOUT 8,000 APPLICANTS
BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT AMERICA'S
FINEST.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TEAM
OF NASA EMPLOYEES WHO HELPED
WITH THIS SELECTION PROCESS.
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT IS A TEAM
SPORT.
AND IT REQUIRES THE PASSION AND
DEDICATION OF ALL OF US.
NOW THAT YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT
WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE NEWEST
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES TO HELP US
KICK THAT OFF, PLEASE GIVE A
WARM HOUSTON WELCOME TO THE
FLIGHT OPERATIONS DIRECTOR NORM
KNIGHT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, VANESSA.
THANK YOU, STEVE.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> FOUR YEARS AGO, WE NAMED TWO
EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS IN THE
MOST RECENT CLASS OF ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES.
I OFTEN LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE LAST
FOUR YEARS OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT.
MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED
HAS BEEN MADE POSITIONABLE BY
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
WHERE MANY CANDIDATES SITTING
HERE TODAY WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT.
EVERY LESSON LEARNED ABOARD
STATION, HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR
WHERE WE ARE HEADED NEXT, TO THE
MOON, THIS TIME TO STAY, AND ON
TO MARS.
JUST THINK, FOUR CREWMEMBERS WHO
ARE PREPARING TO FLY AROUND THE
MOON EARLY NEXT YEAR FURTHER
AWAY FROM EARTH THAN ANY HUMAN
SINCE APOLLO 13 IN 1900.
THEY WERE ALSO ONCE ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES, TODAY, TEN MORE
DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS ARE
JOINING THE NASA FAMILY AS THE
NEWEST GENERATION OF EXPLORERS
TO FURTHER OUR REACH TO THE
GOLDEN AGE OF INNOVATION AND
EXPLORATION.
THIS SELECTION WAS CHALLENGING.
COMPETITIVE.
VERY DIFFICULT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU HERE
TODAY IS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS,
WHO ARE NOT ONLY EXCEPTIONAL,
BUT WHO WILL BE INSPIRATIONAL
FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND FOR OUR PLANET.
FOR THOSE IN FLIGHT OPERATIONS,
THE ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE WE ARE
NAMING TODAY WOULD BE THE
VISIBLE OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT BUT
ALSO TO THE ENTIRE TALENTED
FLIGHT CONTROLLER, TRAINERS,
ENGINEERS, FRANKLY, EVERYONE
ACROSS THIS GREAT AGENCY WHO ARE
THE HEART BEAT OF HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO
INVITE MY DEPUTY TO JOIN ME IN
INTRODUCING THE 2025 CLASS OF
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES TO THE
WORLD.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE OUT HERE
TODAY.
COME TO YOU FROM THE 20th
ASTRONAUT GROUP.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE
FLIES NAME THE NEW CLASS.
BUT THE TEN INDIVIDUALS YOU ARE
ABOUT TO MEET COME WITH
FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE TO LEAD US
HERE ON EARTH AND IN SPACE.
ARE YOU READY TO MEET THE
24th GROUP OF ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES?
[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GET STARTED.
HE IS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY,
FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA,
BEN BAILEY.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ SHE IS A GEOLOGIST WHO WORKED
ON CURIOSITY MARS ROVER AND
SCIENCE TEAM, ORIGINALLY FROM
WASHINGTON, LAUREN EDGAR.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪ HE IS A TEST PILOT AND MAJOR
IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
FROM LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, ADAM
FUHRMAN.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ HE IS A TEST PILOT AND WEAPONS
OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE FROM SAVANNA, ILLINOIS,
MAJOR CAMERON JONES.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ HE IS A LAUNCH DIRECTOR AND
ENGINEERING EXECUTIVE FROM
COLUMBUS INDIANA YURI KUBO.
SHE IS A FORMER UNITED AIRLINES
TEST PILOT FROM TEXAS, REBECCA
LAWLER.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ A NATIVE TO HOUSTON, TEXAS,
PLEASE WELCOME, ANNA MENON.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ SHE IS IN ANESTHESIA FROM NEW
YORK.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SHE IS A LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER, IN THE UNITED STATES
NAVY, AND TEST PILOT IN THE F-18
SUPER HORNET, FROM GOSHEN,
KENTUCKY, ERIN.
[APPLAUSE]
♪ SHE IS A FORMER FLIGHT
DIRECTOR AT GULF STREAM AND TEST
PILOT FROM SAN DIEGO,
CALIFORNIA, KATHERINE SPEESE.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪ THESE TEN MEN AND WOMEN ARE
YOUR 24th ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATE CLASS.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU
ACHIEVE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
AND PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING
THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WOW.
AT NASA, WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A
TEAM.
WE ARE A FAMILY.
TO SHARE SOME WORDS OF WISDOM
WITH YOU, WE HAVE THREE
ASTRONAUTS HERE WITH US TODAY,
WHO SAT IN THIS VERY STAGE SOME
YEARS AGO AND RECEIVED THEIR
ASTRONAUT PINS.
PLEASE WELCOME NASA ASTRONAUTS,
CHRIS BIRCH, NICHOLE AYERS AND
CHRIS WILLIAMS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> CONGRATULATIONS, AND WELCOME
TO THE TEAM.
[APPLAUSE]
MY NAME IS CHRIS BIRCH.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE 2021 NASA
ASTRONAUT CLASS SO THIS IS
OFFICIALLY A SWARM BECAUSE I AM
WITH TWO OF THE FLY CLASSMATES.
YOUR CLASS IS A SPECIAL GROUP.
THAT IS WHY THERE IS A TRADITION
THAT THE NEWEST ASTRONAUT CLASS
IS NAMED BY THE CLASS BEFORE IT.
OUR CLASS WAS NAMED BY THE
TURTLES WHO LOVINGLY GAVE US THE
NAME THE FLIES BECAUSE MORE
NUMEROUS REASONS THEY HOPE WE
WOULD FLY EARLY AND INDEED WE
HAVE.
NICHOLE RETURNED FROM THE
FIVE-MONTH MISSION ABOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND
CHRIS IS PREPARING TO LAUNCH FOR
HIS EIGHT MONTH MISSION.
[APPLAUSE]
THE BONDS FORMED WITH YOUR CLASS
ARE VERY SPECIAL.
ASTRONAUT TRAINING IS
APPRENTICESHIP.
WE LEARN FROM OUR TRAINERS AND
INSTRUCTORS AND CONSTANTLY
LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER.
THE TRAINING BUILDS A FOUNDATION
OF TRUST THAT WILL CARRY YOU
THROUGHOUT THE CAREER AND ON THE
FUTURE MISSIONS.
ON BEHALF OF ALL THE FLIES, WE
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW
YOUR CLASS, SO WE CAN GIVE YOU A
NAME BEFITTING THE PERSONALITIES
AND APPROPRIATE FOR THE TIME WE
ARE IN FOR HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THE NEXT
FEW YEARS ARE ALL ABOUT LEARNING
TRAINING.
IN MANY WAYS, IT IS LIKE
DRINKING FROM A FIREHOUSE.
YOU ARE ASKED TO MASTER NEW
SKILLS AND DISCIPLINES.
SOME OF THESE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR
TO SOME MEMBERS OF THE CLASS
LIKE FLYING AN AIRCRAFT AND
CHARACTERIZING CRYSTALS IN A
ROCK.
OTHERS WOMEN BE NEW TO YOU.
I KNOW FOR ME AND MY CLASS, IT
WAS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE THE
FIRST TIME WE WERE UNDER WATER
IN A SPACE SUIT PRACTICING A
SPACEWALK TO REPAIR THE SPACE
STATION.
I WAS TOTALLY NEW, AWESOME
EXPERIENCE.
THANKFULLY, YOU WILL HAVE SOME
OF THE MOST TALENTED PASSIONATE
INSTRUCTORS INCREDIBLY DEDICATED
TEAM HERE AT NASA.
WE COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO
WITHOUT AMAZING SUPPORT WE HAVE
HERE AT THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
AND THE ENTIRE NASA COMMUNITY.
BUT SOME OF THE MOST SPECIAL
MOMENTS WILL COME AS YOU FIND
HOW MUCH YOU GET TO LEARN FROM
EACH OTHER, FROM THE CLASSMATE,
THE PEERS, IT IS REALLY A RARE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE SURROUNDED BY
A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ALL
COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,
DIFFERENT FIELDS AND DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES BUT WHO ARE AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF THEIR
PROFESSIONS WHEN I HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT THE NUANCE OF
FLYING A 238 AND CAN TURN SOME
CLASS MATE WITH THOUSANDS OF
FLIGHT HOURS AND ASK A
QUESTION.
WHEN I AM WONDERING ABOUT THE
DESIGN OF BIOLOGY EXPERIMENT WE
ARE LEARNING ABOUT, I CAN TURN
TO THE BUY OH ENGINEERING CLASS
MIT AND ASK WHY IS THIS
EXPERIMENT DESIGNED THE WAY IT
IS.
THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
THAT YOU ALL BRING AND SHARE
WITH EACH OTHER WILL NOT ONLY
MAKE YOU A STRONGER CLASS BUT
MAKE US A STRONGER ASTRONAUT
CORP AND MAKES ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
TO COME WORK EVERY DAY.
LEARNING IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE
INITIAL TRAINING AND CONTINUE
AFTER YOU GRADUATE AND GO TO
SUPPORTING OTHER CREW MEMBERS
WHO ARE FLYING IN SPACE, HELPING
TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEMS THAT WILL
TAKE US TO THE MOON AND BEYOND
AND TRAINING TO BE A CREW MEMBER
ON THE FUTURE MISSION.
I CAN PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR THIS.
TRAINING FOR THE UPCOMING
MISSION HAS BEEN A CONSTANT
LEARNING PROCESS BUT BUILDS ON
THE SKILLS I LEARNED IN THE
INITIAL TRAINING YOU ARE ABOUT
TO EMBARK UPON.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW IT SETS YOU UP
TO EXCEL.
THE CLASSMATE NICHOLE RETURNED
FROM A FIVE MONTH MISSION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
WELL SAID.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOOK BACK
FONDLY ON OUR TIME IN THOSE
SEATS BEING WELCOMED TO THE NASA
FAMILY.
THE NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BE A
WHIRLWIND BUT WILL BE THE MOST
MOMENTS WITH THE BEST PEOPLE.
AS NASA IF YOU ARE THE HUMAN
SPACE FLIGHT, WE CAN WAY TO SEE
YOU ALL GET ASSIGNED TO A CREW
AND GET WELCOMED INTO A SMALLER
FAMILY THAT IS THAT TRUE.
WHETHER ON A SPACE STATION CREW,
OR A CREW HEADED TO THE MOON
EVENTUALLY ON TO MARS, WE BUILD
BONDS THAT SPAN GENERATIONS AND
BORDERS.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HE.
>> YOU ALL EATING A FAMILY
DINNER WITH YOUR CREW WHERE ON
POTENTIALLY EXPLORATION VEHICLE
OR EVEN A HABITAT SOMEWHERE.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY LOVED OUR
FAMILY DINNERS ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
DINNERS ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
BEFORE WE GO WE HAVE SPECIAL
GUESTS WHO COULD NO BE HERE THE
FAMILY I GOT TO SHARE AMAZING
MOMENTS WITH.
THEY ARE LIVING ABOVE AND THEY
PREPARED A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR
YOU GUYS, SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING JONNY KIM, ZENA
CARDMAN, MIKE FINCKE AND JAXA
ASTRONAUT KIMIYA YUI.
[APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION ORBITING 250MILES
ABOVE BEAUTIFUL PLANET EARTH.
I AM MIKE FINCKE, A PROUD MEMBER
OF THE CLASS OF 1996, SARDINES,
AND WE WANTED TO OFFER A HUGE
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 NASA
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES, THAT IS
YOU.
>> WE WISH WE COULD BE THERE IN
PERSON TO WELCOME BUT YOU ABOUT
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE UP HERE.
WE ARE NEARING 25 YEARS ABOARD
THE SPACE STATION AND THE WORK
WE DO WILL PREPARE US FOR
MISSIONS BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT.
ARE JOINING AT AN EXCITING TYPE.
WE ARE IN A NEW ERA OF SPACE
EXPLORATION.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHERE THE
JOURNEY TAKES YOU?
WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME YOU
TO THE FOLD.
YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON US FOR
SUPPORT.
YOU CAN LEAN ON EACH OTHER AS
CLASS, TOO.
THE PEOPLE SITTING BESIDE YOU
NOW WILL BECOME LIFE LINING
FRIENDS.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO MEET YOU AND
WE ARE BACK ON THE GROUND UNTIL
THEN, LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN.
GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
MOST IMPORTANT I, ENJOY THE
RAID.
WE'LL KEEP THE SPACE STATION IN
GREAT SHAPE FOR WHEN YOU GET
HERE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU JONNY, ZENA, MIKE,
KIMIYA.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO WELCOME YOU
BACK HOME SOON.
NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE
NASA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR
SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY.
ADMINISTRATOR DUFFY STEPPED INTO
THIS ROLE A LITTLE OVER TWO
MONTHS AGO.
AND HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED HIS
COMMITMENT TO LEADING OUR AGENCY
FORWARD WITH VISION AND PURPOSE.
HE ALSO SERVES AS SECRETARY OF
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME NASA'S
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SECRETARY
SEAN DUFFY.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> WELL, IT IS GREAT TO BE WITH
YOU TODAY AND TO JOIN THE CHORUS
OF CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW
CLASS OF ASTRO GNATS.
WELL DONE, EVERYBODY.
LISTEN, WE KNOW THAT YOU
REPRESENT YOUR FAMILIES.
YOU REPRESENT YOUR
COMMUNITIES.
YOU REPRESENT NASA, WHICH IS THE
MOST RESPECTED AND REFERRED AGE
PHYSICIAN SIN THE WHOLE WIDE
WORLD.
NO PRESSURE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU
REPRESENT AMERICA.
THE GREATEST MOST INNOVATIVE,
CREATIVE COUNTRY THAT EVER
EXISTED ON THE FACE OF THE
EARTH.
AND SO WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER TO
WELCOME YOU AND CONGRATULATION
YOU ON YOUR WORK TO GET TO THIS
MOMENT.
NOW, IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED
BEFORE, THAT OVER 8,000 PEOPLE
APPLIED TO GET ONE OF THESE TEN
SPOTS.
AND THERE WERE PILOTS IN.
THERE WERE SCIENTISTS.
ENGINEERS.
DREAMERS.
THEY WERE HOPING TO BE HERE
TODAY.
BUT WE PICKED THE BEST AND THE
BRIGHTEST, THE MOST SKILLED, THE
BEST LOOKING, THE BEST
PERSONALITIES, UM, TO TAKE THESE
TEN SPOTS, AND AGAIN, YOU
REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY.
I KNOW THE PRESIDENT EXTENDS HIS
CONGRATULATIONS AS I EXTEND MINE
AS WELL TO YOU.
I THINK THAT THERE IS NOTHING
THAT EMBODIES THE AMERICAN DREAM
MORE THAN THE TEN OF YOU TODAY
HAVING THESE SPOTS AND I KNOW IT
WAS HARD WORK, A LOT OF
EFFICIENT, A LOT OF STUDY, A LOT
OF TRAINING, FOR YOU TO WIN THE
SPOTS AT NASA BUT YOU TRULY ARE
LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT.
YOU ARE AMERICA'S BEST AND
BRIGHTEST.
AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED
AMERICA'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST
BECAUSE WE HAVE A BOLD
EXPLORATION MANS FOR THE FUTURE.
WE TALKED ABOUT WE ARE GOING
BACK TO THE MOON.
THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO STAY.
AND FROM WHAT WE LEARNED ON A
MISSION TO THE MOON, WE ARE
GOING TO GO TO MARS, WE ARE
GOING TO GO BEYOND INTO THE
UNKNOWN.
NOW, SOME ARE NOT CHALLENGE OUR
LEADERSHIP IN SPACE.
SAY LIKE THE CHINESE, AND I WILL
TELL YOU THIS, WILL BE DAMNED IF
THE CHINESE BEAT NASA OR BEAT
AMERICA BACK TO THE MOON.
WE ARE GOING TO WIN.
WE LOVE CHALLENGES.
WE LOVE COMPETITION.
WE ARE GOING TO WIN THE SECOND
SPACE RACE BACK TO THE MOON WITH
ALL OF YOU PARTICIPATING IN THAT
GREAT EFFICIENT.
EFFICIENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE GOLDEN AGE
OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF
EXPLORATION.
AND AGAIN, OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT.
WE HAVE BOLD MISSIONS AHEAD OF
US.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE MONEY.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE GRIT.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE COURAGE.
TO ACTUALLY MEET THIS MOMENT.
WITH THESE MISSIONS WITH THIS
VISION.
AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE THE
HEART TO DO THAT.
WHAT I FIND MOST EXCITING.
I KNOW YOU GUYS, THEY HAVE BEEN
ASKING FOR A WEEK I THINK, SEVEN
DAYS, I GOT TO MEET THEM EARLIER
TODAY.
WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING AS I
MET OUR NEW CAST OF ASTRONAUTS
IS, THAT ONE OF THESE TEN COULD
ACTUALLY BE ONE OF THE FIRST
AMERICANS TO PUT THEIR BOOTS ON
THE MARS SURFACE, WHICH IS VERY,
VERY COOL.
AND AGAIN, NO PRESSURE NASA.
WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.
[APPLAUSE]
I COULDN'T BE MORE HONORED TO BE
THE ACTING ADMINISTRATOR AND TO
LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION AT THIS
MOMENT AND TIME AS WE MAKE OUR
VISION CLEAR, OUR MISSION CLEAR,
AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, I DO
HAVE NOW THE PRIVILEGE OF
INTRODUCING OUR NEXT SPEAKER,
WHO BY THE WAY IS ALSO VERY
HANDSOME, HE IS ALSO VERY SMART,
BUT, HE IS ALSO ONE OF THE GREAT
LEADERS IN THE U.S. SENATE.
HE IS A CHAMPION FOR NASA.
HE IS A CHAMPION FOR THE JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER.
WHICH YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, HE AUTHORIZED
THE MONEY THAT GETS THROUGH THE
CONGRESS TO COME AND FUND NASA,
SEW IS REALLY ARE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE HE WRITES THE CHECKS,
ACTUALLY.
HELP ME GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO
ONE OF TEXT'S FINEST CHAIRMAN
TED CRUZ.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET ME SAY, YOU ARE DOING A
FANTASTIC JOB.
THANK FOUR OF THE HARD WORK, YOU
ARE THE ACTING ADMINISTRATOR OF
NASA, I THINK YOU ARE TRYING TO
COMPETE WITH MARCO RUBIO TO SING
SEEING YOU NAMED AS THE
ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON T.C.
I THINK YOU CAN DO THAT JOB, AN
EXCELLENT JOB AS WELL.
LET ME SAY AT THE OUTSET, I AM
REALLY, REALLY GLADDEN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE, THAT AN
INCOMING CLASS IS NOT NAMED BY
THE PREDECESSORS.
THAT JUST WOULD NOT WORK OUT
WELL, SO YOU ALL ARE BRAVE, AND
I ASSUME YOU WANT TO BE REALLY
NICE TO THE PRECEDING CLASS SO
THEY DON'T GIVE YOU SOME, SOME
TERRIBLE NAMES.
SPEAK OF TERRIBLE NAMES.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE A CALL ON YOU,
MR.ADMINISTRATOR,
MR.SECRETARY, FOR SOME STRONG
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
WHICH IS THE NAME OF THIS EVENT
IS ASK CAN.
NOW I RECOGNIZE THAT THESE GUYS
ARE CAPABLE OF PULLING OUT A CAN
OF WHOOP ASS, BUT I WOULD HUMBLY
SUGGEST NEXT TIME, MAYBE WE
COULD WITH A DIFFERENT NAME THAN
ASK CAN, LIKE THE COLLECTIVE
BRANDING CAN COME UP SOMETHING
SUITABLE TOW THE OCCASION.
TO THE OCCASION.
I WANT TO SAY TO EACH OF YOU,
YOU ARE AMAZING.
YOU ARE THE BEST AND THE
BRIGHTEST.
YOU ARE INCREDIBLY EDUCATED.
YOU ARE INCREDIBLY FEARLESS.
YOU ARE WILLING LIKE SARDINES TO
GET IN A TINY CAN AND SIT ON TOP
OF AN EXPLODING ROCKET GOING UP
INTO THE SKY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU LITTLE BOYS
AND LITTLE GIRLS LOOK AT YOU AND
THEY DREAM OF DOING WHAT YOU ALL
ARE DOING.
THAT IS POWERFUL.
THAT IS THE FUTURE.
MR.SECRETARY SHALL WHERE YOU
ARE IN MY HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON.
HOUSTON HAS A LONG AND DEEP
CONNECTION TO SPACE.
ONE OF THE FIRST WORDS UTTERED
ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON WAS
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
THERE IS A REASON OUR BASEBALL
TEAM IS THE ASTROS.
BY THE WAY, THEY HAVE ALL
COMMITTED.
THEY ARE ALL NOW ASTROS' FANS.
AND THERE IS A REASON OUR BASKET
BALL TEAM IS THE ROCKETS, AND
THE ROCKETS ARE WING IT ALL THIS
YEAR.
THAT IS MY PREDICTION RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS ALSO A REASON THAT WHEN
JFK WAS PRESIDENT, THAT HE CAME
TO HOUSTON TO RICE STADIUM, AND
HE ANNOUNCED THE COMMITMENT THAT
WE WOULD GO TO THE MOON WITHIN A
DECADE.
AND JFK EXPLAINED IDEA WE WERE
GOING TO THE MOON.
AND HE SAID, WE ARE GOING TO THE
MOON FOR THE SAME REASON THAT
RICE PLAYS THE UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS.
WE DO NOT DO SO BECAUSE IT IS
EASY BUT BECAUSE IT IS HARD.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO
TO, TO TO WHAT IS HARD.
AND I WILL SAY ON THE FOURTH OF
JULY, THE PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO
LAW THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL
THAT INCLUDED MORNING OTHER
THINGS,$10BILLION, DIRECTLY
FOR NASA, I WAS PROUD TO HAVE
ADDED THAT$10BILLION.
AND THAT FUNDING IS THERE TO GO
BACK TO THE MOON, WE WILL BEAT
THE CHINESE TO THE MOON.
WE WILL HAVE A SUSTAINED HUMAN
HABITATION ON THE MOON OR IN
LUNAR PACE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BEAT THE
CHINESE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT, AND
WITH ALL OF THE LEARNING FROM
GOING TO THE MOON FROM GATEWAY
FROM THE ISS, WE WILL GO TO MARS
AND THE FIRST BOOT THAT EVER
SETS FOOT ON THE SURFACE OF THE
RED PLANET WILL BE AN AMERICAN
ASTRONAUT AND COULD WELL BE ONE
OF THE BOOTS RIGHT HERE.
[APPLAUSE]
AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, AS GIRL
DAD, WITH TWO TEENAGE GIRLS AGE
14 AND 17, I AM PARTICULARLY
PROUD OF ALL THE WOMEN HERE,
WAND THE FACT THAT ARTEMIS,
AMERICA IS GOING TO PUT THE
FIRST WOMAN ON THE SURFACE OF
THE MOON IN THE HISTORY OF
MANKIND.
[APPLAUSE]
THAT IS POWERFUL.
THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.
EVERYONE HERE WHO IS INTEGRAL TO
THE JSR, COMMERCIAL SPACE, AND
THE MISSION OF AMERICAN
LEADERSHIP IN SPACE, I WANT TO
TELL ALL OF YOU HOW INCREDIBLY
PROUD I AM OF YOU.
TO PUT SIMPLY, MY JOB IS TO HAVE
YOUR BACK, YOU HAVE MY WORD.
I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO EACH
AND EVERY DAY.
[APPLAUSE]
WITH THAT I WANT TO WELCOME
CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN.
CONGRESSMAN BABIN, TECHNOLOGY,
HE HAS BEEN A DENTIST FOR 35
YEARS, SO IF YOU PISS HIM OFF,
HE WILL RIP YOUR TEETH OUT, DONE
WORRY, HE CAN GIVE YOU THINK
HAPPY GAS, YOU WON'T FEEL IT AT
ALL, HE WAS ALSO IN THE AIR
FORCE FROM 1975 TO 16 SO IF HE
IS HONEST, HE IS JEALOUS HE IS
NOT IN A BLUE JUMP SUIT SITTING
UP HERE AS WELL.
HE GETS TO BE IN CONGRESS, HE IS
A CHAMPION FOR SPACE AND A GOOD
FRIEND, CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> THANK YOU, TED.
IT IS ALWAYS TOUGH TO FOLLOW TED
CRUZ WITH MY EAST TEXAS TWANG,
THAT IS NO WAY TO BE THAT
ARTICULATE.
I AM PLEASED TO MEET EVERYONE OF
YOU YOUNG FOLKS WHO ARE STEPPING
YOUR FEET ON THE LUNAR'S SURFACE
OF THE ISS AND MAYBE THE RED
PLANET AS WELL.
IT IS MORE EXCITING THAN I CAN
GATHER.
WELL, GOOD MORNING.
GREAT TO BE HERE WITH EVERYONE.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE IT
IS TO BE HERE TO WELCOME THIS
NEW CLASS ON THIS EXCITING DAY
OF ASTRONAUTS.
UNBELIEVABLE.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT CONCLUDES A
RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS TO
BEGIN MORE THAN A YEAR AGO WITH
THOUSANDS, LITERALLY, THESE
PEOPLE WERE CHOSEN FROM A CAST
OF MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, OF
INDIVIDUALS.
PLANNING TO JOIN THE RANKS OF
THE ESTEEMED ASTRONAUT CORP.
I WANT TO THANK EVERY ASTRONAUT
IN HERE, FORMER ASTRONAUTS AS
WELL, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SPACE EXPLORATION HAS ALWAYS
STIRRED SOMETHING DEEP WITHIN
THE SOUL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT TO BE
INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO DEVOUT
THEIR LIVES TO IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY
CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND
EVERYONE OF YOU.
EACH OF YOU EMBODIES THE
QUALITIES THAT HAVE DEFINED NASA
ASTRONAUTS FOR MORE THAN 60
YEARS.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
60 YEARS.
COURAGE, INGENUITY, CURIOSITY,
SO MUCH MORE ARE THE VIRTUES
THAT YOU HAVE.
THIS CLASS OF ASTRONAUTS WILL
HELP LEAD THE NEXT CHAPTER OF
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
SOME OF YOU HAS BEEN STATED WILL
HAVE MISSIONS ON THE MOON.
SOME OF YOU MAY TAKE HUMANITY'S
FIRST STEPS ON THE RED PLANET OF
MARS.
ALL OF YOU WILL CARRY FORWARD
MISSIONS THAT TODAY EXISTS ONLY
IN THE DREAMS.
BUT TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO
MAKE THESE DREAMS A REALITY.
FOR GENERATIONS, AMERICAN
ASTRONAUTS HAVE BEEN A SOURCING
OF NATIONAL PRIDE FOR OUR
COUNTRY.
YOU WILL NOW TAKE UP THAT
MANTLE, CARRYING OUR FLAG,
PROUDLY, AND FEARLESSLY INTO
SPACE.
BUT YOUR MISSION IS LARGER THAN
EXPLORATION ALONE AT A TIME OF
GROWING GLOBAL COMPETITION,
NASA'S WORK IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN EVER.
IT IS NATIONAL SECURITY FOLKS,
WE MUST BE ON THAT LUNAR SURFACE
FIRST, WE MUST REMAIN A PRESENCE
OF AMERICA IN LOW EARTH ORBIT.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WE CANNOT FAIL THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE TO TO HOPE AND THAN
THE STARS WILL GUIDE US INTO ALL
OF THE ENDEAVOURS THAT WE ARE
DREAMING ABOUT.
THERE IS MUCH WORK AHEAD, THE
CHALLENGES WILL SHAPE YOU, WILL
STRENGTHEN YOU AND EMBOLDEN YOU,
A REPRESENTATIVE FROM JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER, IT HAS LONG BEEN
THE VERY CENTER OF AMERICA'S
SPACE LEGACY.
SO PLEASE KNOW, THAT WE BELIEVE
IN YOU, WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU,
AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND
FOR YOUR GREAT SUCCESS.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
MAY GOD BLESS OUR SPACE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, SENATOR CRUZ AND
CONGRESSMAN BABI.
WE TRULY VAL VALUE ALL THE
SUPPORT YOU GO BIFF TO NASA'S
EFFORT AND WE BOUND TO FOR
BEEFING THE ELECT OFFICIALS AND
A HUGE THANK YOU TO SECRETARY
DUFFY.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHIEF
ASTRONAUT JOE ACABA AND DEPUTY
CHIEF ASTRONAUT NICOLE MAN THE
TO HELP US GET TOT KNOW THE
CLASS.
JOE AND NICHOLE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR MANAGING OPERATIONS.
THEY HELP DEVELOP ASTRONAUT
FLIGHT CREW OPERATION CONCEPTS
AND MAKE RECOMMENDATION FOR CREW
ASSIGNMENTS FOR FUTURE
SPACEFLIGHT MISSIONS.
INCLUDING ASTRONAUTS TO BE
ASSIGNED TO FLY ON ARTEMIS.
WELCOME JOE AND NICHOLE.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> THANK YOU.
WELCOME THE NEWEST ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES.
I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR THE
WILD RIDE THAT IS COMING.
WE ASK A LOT OF TOUGH QUESTIONS
OF YOU DURING THE INTERVIEWS.
NOW IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO
RELAX, AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOURSELF AS INDIVIDUALS.
>> LET.
FOR SOME OF WHERE YOU SHALL THIS
IS NOT THE FIRST INTRODUCTION TO
NASA.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU BACK.
SO TELL US ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES HERE AT NASA AND
WHAT YOUR JOB WAS AT THE TIME OF
SELECTION?
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL I AM HAPPY TO KICK THINGS
OFF.
I AM SO EXCITED AND HONORED TO
BE HERE TODAY.
MY NASA EXPERIENCE DATES BACK TO
THE DATES AS NASA INTERN WORKING
AT THE NASA GODDARD SPACEFLIGHT
CENTER.
I PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF
NASA PROGRAMS THROUGH COLLEGE
AND GRAD SCHOOL.
I HAVE BEEN WORK AT THE U.S.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN HELPING TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXPLORATION OF
MOON AND MARS IS SO PARTICIPATED
IN NASA MISSION AND CONTRIBUTED
TO THE GEOLOGY TRAINING AND
TESTING.
WORKED ON THE MARS EXPLORATION
ROVER MISSION, THE CURIOSITY
MOVE ROVER MARS AND THE ARTEMIS
3 SCIENCE TEAM.
THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES I HAVE
HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE
AMAZING TEAM THAT MAKES ALL
POSSIBLE AND I WANT TO SAY, I AM
SO EXCITED TO BE OFFICIALLY PART
OF THE NASA FAMILY AND CAN'T
WAIT TO BE SERVING IN THIS ROLE
ALONG WITH ALL THE CLASSMATES
HERE.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU.
I AM SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE
AND HONORED TO BE PART OF THIS
CLASS AS WELL AS THE NASA
FAMILY.
ACTUALLY, MUCH LIKE LAUREN, I
STARTED HERE BACK IN COLLEGE.
I WAS A CO-OP.
HERE AT THE JOHNSON SPACE
CENTER, ACTUALLY.
FEELS LIKE A HOME COMING, A
REALLY NICE HOME COMING TO COME
BACK.
I SPENT SEVEN TOURS HERE AT
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AS WELL AS
THE FLIGHT OPERATION SIDE.
SO I GOT A GOOD TASTE OF WHAT IT
WAS TO BE A PART OF THIS
INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY OF ED
DEDICATED PEOPLE.
FAST FORWARD TO MORE RECENTLY, I
WAS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF END
GO I NEARING AT A COMPANY CALLED
ELECTRIC HYDROGEN WHERE I WAS
WORKING WITH TO MAKE ENERGY FOR
A LOT OF KEY INDUSTRIES.
THANKS.
[APPLAUSE]
IT IS AN AWESOME HONOR TO BE UP
HERE TODAY.
MY PREVIOUS WORK WITH NASA WAS
THROUGH INNER AGENCY WORK THAT
NASA DOES.
WHEN HE WAS IN A NAVY, I FLEW ON
OPERATION ICE BRIDGE IN THE NASA
P3 OUT OF NORTHERN GREENLAND.
WAS GIVING AWAY THE NEXT PART.
MY SECOND TIME WORKING WITH NASA
WAS I WAS WORKING FOR THE
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION REFERRED TO AS
NOAA AND I WAS A NOAA OFFICER
AND GOT TO WORK WITH NASA ON
CERIFYING IN STREW AMS THAT WERE
REALLY IMPORTANT IN FORECASTING
HURRICANE DURING HURRICANE
SEASON FOR THE NOAA HURRICANE
HUNTERS AT THE TIME OF THE
SELECTION, I WAS UNITED AIRLINES
FLIGHT TESTING CAPTAIN WHICH IS
A TEST PILOT.
I AM SO EXCITED TO USE THOSE EX
PERSONS THEN EVERYTHING TO BE
PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM AND
PLAY MY ROLE IN OUR ENDEAVOURS
AS CLASS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> NOW TWO OF YOU COME TO US
FROM A MEDICAL BACKGROUND.
ANNA, MEL, TELL US ABOUT THE
BACKGROUND AND WHAT YOU ARE
EXCITE FOR IN THE FUTURE OF
SPACE MEDICINE.
A HI.
I AM ANNA.
MY BACKGROUNDS IS ACTUALLY BAY
OH MEDICAL ENGINEERING.
THE FIRST ROLE OUT OF GRADUATE
SCHOOL WAS HERE AT NASA'S
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER.
I WORKED AS BIOMEDICAL FLIGHT
CONTROLLER.
IN THAT ROLE, OUR JOB WAS TO
SUPPORT THE MEDICAL HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND HELP KEEP THEM
HEALTH THINK AND SAFE FROM
MISSION CONTROL.
I AM SO THRILLED TO BE BACK HERE
WITH THE NASA FAMILY.
AND YOU KNOW, AS I REFLECT ON
THE FUTURE OF SPACE MEDICINE, I
THINK IT IS REALLY RIGHT.
WE ARE BORN INTO 1G, SO WHEN YOU
GO TO 0G, SO MANY THINGS CHANGE.
AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE VENTURE
INTO SPACE, AND WE SEEK TO GO
FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE, WE
HAVE THIS AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO
LEARN TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO HELP
SUPPORT THOSE ASTRONAUTS AND
THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE FLYING IN
THOSE ADVENTURES TO HELP KEEP
THEM HEALTHY AND SAFE, SO IT IS
EXCITING TIME TO BE HERE AND I
COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED AND
HONOR.
[APPLAUSE]
>> I SOMETIMES GO BY BELL.
PREVIOUSLY I WAS UNDER SEA
MEDICAL OFFICER WITH THE NAVY.
THAT EXPERIENCE GAVE ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MULL
TIE DISCIPLINARY TEAMS
SATURATION DIVING.
I DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR
LEARNING ABOUT THE WAY THE BODY
ADAPTS IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
AND THIS LED ME TO PURSUE
MEDICAL RESIDENCY TRAINING IN
ANESTHESIA WHERE I DEEP IN THE
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE BODY
RESPONDS WHEN IT IS UNDER
STRESS.
I AM INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO BE
HERE ALONGSIDE OF THIS TEAM AND
TO BUILD ON THAT FOUNDATION.
WITH A GREATER NASA COMMUNITY,
BECAUSE AS AND MA A ALLUDED TO,
WITH UPCOMING EXPLORATION
MISSIONS WE ARE PUSHING THE
BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE,
AND THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE GAIN, ALL
OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO
HELP US TO EXCEL NOT JUST IN
SPACE, BUT IN AREAS OF HUMAN
HEALTH HERE ON EARTH.
THE FUTURE OF SPACE MEDICINE IS
NOW.
I AM INCREDIBLY HONORED TO BE
HERE WITH THIS TEAM.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WE HAVE SIX TEST PILOTS FROM
THE GROUP.
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE FOR
A FEW OF YOU JET PILOTS, ADAM,
CAMERON AND ERIN.
TO LET YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN
SEE RECKED TO JOIN THE ASTRONAUT
CORP.
THE RESPONSES WERE VARIED AND
THEY WERE AWESOME.
SO TWO QUESTIONS-- WHAT WAS IT
LIKE TO GET THAT CALL AND HOW DO
YOU THINK YOUR FLIGHT TEST
BACKGROUND WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR
ASTRONAUT TRAINING?
HELLO EVERYONE.
I AM ADAM FUHRMAN.
WHEN I RECEIVED THE CALLAWAY WAS
DRIVING HOME FROM WORK.
IT WAS PRETTY BUSY RUSH HOUR, AT
FIRST, I WAS IN DISBELIEF.
HE HAD TO FINISH THE
CONVERSATION IN A PARKING LOT
JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS HEARING
YOU RIGHT, JOE.
THEN CAME THE EXCITEMENT, THEN
JUST EXTREME GRATITUDE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THIS AMAZING
TEAM.
WAS HAPPY TO FINISH THE DRIVE
HOME TO SHARE THAT NEWS WITH MY
WIFE AND KIDS WHO ARE HERE
TODAY.
AS FAR AS EX EXPERIENCING FLIGHT
TEST, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ON
OUR OWN.
WE WORK WITH AMAZING TEAMS OF
ENGINEERS, PROFESSIONALS TO
PLAN, K! SIM LAY SHALL EXECUTE
COMPLEX BE A RIGS CAN I MISSIONS
IN AIRCRAFT TO ACCOMPLISH A
MISSION ALL WHILE ACCESSING
RISKS AND MAKING SMART CALLS AS
A TEAM AND I AM HAPPY TO BRING
THAT EXPERIENCE TO DO THE SAME
THING WITH THE NASA TEAM TO
LEARN FROM EVERYONE AT THE
JOHNSON SPACE TEN CENTER TO
APPLY THE LESSONS TO HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> I AM CAMERON JONES, I GOT THE
CALL FROM JOE TWO MONTHS AGO.
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND THREE DAYS
AGO, I FINISHED A CROSS COUNTRY
MOVE FROM CALIFORNIA TO T.C.
SO WE ARE SITTING ON THE FLOOR
OF THE NEW EMPTY HOUSE.
MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE
WITH NO FURNITURE.
AND THE CALL CAME THROUGH.
I DON'T THINK WHAT MY
ONE-YEAR-OLD WAS GOING ON.
SHE LET OUT A PERFECTLY TIMED
GLEEFUL SCREAM THAT WENT THROUGH
BOTH SIDES OF THE CALLING.
I AM EXCITED TO BE HERE.
THAT BRINGS IN THE TEST PILOT
SKILL WHICH IS ADAPTABLE AND
RESILIENCY TO MAYBE A MOVE
ACROSS COUNTRY, MAYBE IT IS A
DYNAMIC SITUATION IN AN AIRPLANE
THAT WILL TRANSPORT INTO THIS
DOMAIN.
[APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO.
WHEN I GOT THE CALL, I WAS A
WEEK AWAY FROM JOINING MY NEXT
EMPLOYMENT SO I HAD THE SEA BAGS
PACKED.
I FINISHED FLIGHT TRAINING FOR
THE DAY.
AND MY SPOUSE AND PRI ON THE
COUCH.
WE GET A CALL FROM UNKNOWN
NUMBER.
WE BOTH LOOK AT EACH OTHER.
THEN WE ARE FLOWING BLANKETS AND
PILLOW, TURN THE TV OFF.
WE HAD ONE LAST PAUSE OF A
MOMENT MAKING EYE CONTACT
KNOWING THE PHONE CALL COULD
CHANGE OUR LIVES THEN IT DID.
THE WAY JOE PHRASED THE PART OF
THE CONVERSATION HE SAID DO YOU
STILL WANT THE JOB?
THE FIRST WORDS THAT I SAID ON
THE PHONE WERE "NO WAY."
I MEAN, YES, OF COURSE.
BUT NO WAY.
NOT SPECIFIC TO THE FLIGHT TEST
BUT BEING IN THE NAVY SHALL ANY
SAILOR WOULD TELL WE SPEND A LOT
TIME STUCK IN A HOT OR COLD
METAL BOX IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
OCEAN.
WHEN YOU SHARE THAT SPACE WITH
5,000 PEOPLE.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS
PRIVACY OR PERSONAL SPACE YOU
HAVE TO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE
YOU WORK WITH AND RESPECT EACH
OTHER NOT JUST TO SURVIVE BUT
REALLY THRIVE AS A TEAM AND THAT
IS SOME PERSPECTIVE I HOPE TO
BRING TO OUR ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE
GROUP.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WE ARE VERY GLAD THAT NO WAY
MEANT YES.
THANKS FOR THAT.
[APPLAUSE]
NOW FOR THE UPCOMING TRAINING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I AM BEN BAILEY.
I AND THE NEXT TWO YEARS
TRAINING ARE EXCITING.
YOU KNOW?
LANGUAGE TRAINING.
FLIGHT TRAINING.
SPACEWALK TRAINING.
ROBOTICS.
ALL OF THAT.
EACH ONE WOULD BE EXCITING IN
ITS OWN RIGHT.
I WOULD BE EXCITING TO DO ANYONE
OF THOSE INDIVIDUALLY AND TO
LOOK AND COMBINE ALL OF THOSE
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IS
EXTREMELY EXCITING SO I CANNOT
PICK OUT A SINGLE ONE ALONE BUT
ALL OF THEM TOGETHER ARE JUST
FANTASTIC.
MORE THAN THAT, I AM EXCITED
THAT THE NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BE
SPENT WITH THE OTHER NINE HERE
ON STAGE WITH ME.
I AM EXCITED TO SEE EVERYBODY'S
STRENGTHS AS WE TACKLE THOSE .
[APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD MORNING.
BEN KNOWS THIS, BUT WHEN YOU ARE
FLYING A HELICOPTER, YOU ARE
SITTING IN A COCKPIT, THERE IS A
LOT GOING ON.
THE ROTORS ARE VIBRATING THE
SEAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE FLICKER OF THE
BLADES OVER THE TOP OF THE FIELD
OF VIEW.
YOU ARE READING THE INSTRUMENTS
AND YOU GOT VOICES COMING IN TO
THE RADIO AND YOUR HELMET.
ALL OF THESE INPUTS ARE THE
LANGUAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
AND IT IS THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT
CONNECTS US ACROSS SQUADRON,
OTHER DISCIPLINE, EVEN
COUNTRIES, AND THIS, THIS IS
WHAT MAKES BIG THINGS HAPPEN.
AND, I THINK, IN THE NEXT TWO
YEARS OF ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE
TRAINING, THE THING I AM SUPER
PUMPED ABOUT IS LEARNING THE
LANGUAGE GAVE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
>> NOT A WE ARE NOT HAVING FUN
ALREADY.
HOW ABOUT A LITTLE MORE SUN IN
YOU HAVE ALL WORKED AROUND THE
WORLD AND TRAINED FOR VARIOUS
CAREER OR PERSONAL EVENTS.
SO WHY DON'T YOU SHARE WITH US
SOMETHING THAT MAYBE NOT
EVERYONE WOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.
>> OK.
I WILL START.
I SPENT MY FIRST YEAR AS NAVAL
OFFICER IN THE NAVY'S WORLD
CLASS PROGRAM SO I WAS
EFFECTIVELY A PROFESSIONAL RUGBY
PLAYER AND LIVED AT THE USA
RUGBY TEAM.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SOME MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE
SUPPORT CALLED ULTIMATE FRISBEE.
WHAT SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW,
IT BECAME A PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
IN 2012 AND HAD THE HONOR OF
REPRESENTING INDIANAPOLIS, NORTH
DAKOTA, AS PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE
FOR INAUGURAL YEAR.
[APPLAUSE]
>> ALL RIGHT THOSE WHO KNOW ME
WELL INCLUDING THE NINE NEW BEST
FRIENDS KNOW I LOVE TO DO
HANDSTANDS EVERYWHERE I GO.
I GREW UP DOING GYMNASTICS AND
ALWAYS LOVED THE OUTDOORS SO
EVOLVED FROM CLIMB A MOUNTAIN,
DO A HANDSTAND AT THE TOP, IT
HAS FOLLOWED ME ALL OVER THE
WORLD EVERYWHERE THAT I HAVE
GONE EXCEPT ON THIS STAGE TODAY.
[APPLAUSE]
WELL THAT IS NEWS ON THE NEW
YEAR'S RESOLUTION WITH AS TO
LEARN TO WALK ON MY HANDS.
I HAVE MADE ZERO PROGRESS.
BUT MAYBE BEFORE THE END OF
DECEMBER I CAN GET A FEW
POINTERS.
THANK YOU.
>> MARK'S FINEST WITH LOFTY
GOALS.
WE LOVE IT.
[APPLAUSE]
SO YOU ALL COME TO US WITH THE
VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES AND EACH
OF THOSE WILL END YOU DURING ALL
OF YOUR TRAINING.
THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL BE
FILLED WITH HARD WORK AND NEW
ADVENTURES.
THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO CARRY
THAT SPIRIT OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF INNOVATION,
AND EXPLORATION.
MERE IS A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF WHAT
LIES AHEAD FOR YOU.
GOOD LUCK.
>> HI, ASTRONAUT CLASS OF 2025.
AM NASA ASTRONAUT FRANK RUBIO
AND I AM HONORED TO WELCOME YOU
TO THE NASA FAMILY.
WE'LL BE START ON THE TRAINING
RIGHT AWAY, SO I HOPE YOU ARE
READY BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE
FUN BEGINS.
♪
♪ FOR MORE THAN 6 YEARS , NASA
HAS BEEN GATHERING DATA ON
HUMANS LIB AND WORK IN PACE.
NOW, WE ARE GOING TO SHARE THAT
KNOWLEDGE WITH YOU.
WHETHER A MISSION TAKES TO YOU
THE LOW EARTH ORBIT, FURTHER
INTO SPACE ON THE SURFACE OF THE
MOON OR PERHAPS ONE DAY, ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
WE'LL GET YOU READY.
♪
♪ ♪
♪
♪ YOU WILL PUSH YOURSELF TO
REACH NEW HEIGHTS, WORKING WITH
HIGH PERFORMANCE AIR RAFT,
EXPERIENCING THE CHALLENGE OF
FLYING THE T38 SUPERSONIC JET.
YOU WILL SUIT UP HERE AND AT THE
FA SILL FACILITIES HERE.
YOU WILL FEEL LIKE WHAT IT IS
LIKE TO LIB AND WORK IN SPACE.
YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO MANEUVER
YOURSELF, CONDUCT MAINTENANCE ON
THE SPACECRAFT OUTSING A FULL
SQUARE UNDER WATER MOCK JUMP OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
AS THE WORK SITE.
BACK ON LAND, YOU WILL TRAIN
INSIDE OTHER MOCK-UPS LEARNING
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES,
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF
SPACECRAFT.
ALONG WITH HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS.
WELL LEARN ARRIVAL SKILLS IN THE
WILDERNESS WHERE WORKING
TOGETHER IS THE BEST WAY TO
OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF A
ROUGH TERRAIN.
YOU WILL SPLASH INTO WATER
SURVIVAL TRAINING WHERE CREW
MATES ARE AS ESSENTIAL TO THE
GEAR.
YOU WILL SEE THINGS IN A NEW WAY
BY USING THE LATEST IN VIRTUAL
TECHNOLOGY?
YOU WILL TAKE COMMAND,
CONTROLLING THE ROBOT PICK ARM
MADE FOR MOVING SPACECRAFT, HARD
WHICH ARE AND ASTRO NASA AROUND
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE ARE GOING TO GET YOU INTO
SPACE AS YOU LEARN ABOUT THE
LONG DURATION SPACE MISSIONS
FROM MITIGATING BEN AND MUSCLE
LOSS TO PRACTICING FIRST AID AND
UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF
NUTRITION AND SELF WEAR.
THERE IS MORE TO LEARN.
YOU WILL PLAY A PART IN MISSION
CONTROL WHERE YOU EXPERIENCE THE
DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE
WHO KEEP WATCH OVER THE
ASTRONAUT AND THEIR VEHICLES.
ALL OF THESE TASKS AND MORE WILL
MAKE UP THE ASTRONAUT TRAINING.
THESE BASIC SKILLS CAN IN
TRANSFERRED, BUILD UP ON ANY
SPACE MISSION IN THE FUTURE NO
MATTER WHERE YOU GO.
YOU WILL BECOME A PART OF A
LEGACY OF THOSE TRAINING BEFORE
YOU.
CONTINUING THE ADVENTURE THEY
STARTED AND LOOKING AHEAD TO THE
FUTURE OF HUMAN EXPLORATION.
SO.
>> SUITUP.
ITS TIME TO GET TO WORK TO LET
THE ASTRONAUT TRAINING BEGIN.
♪
♪ NEXT UP WE HAVE NASA ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR YOU A MET, WHO
SERVES AS THE HIGHEST RANKING
CIVIL SERVANT AT THE AGENCY AND
SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE
ADMINISTRATOR.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING HIM
TO THE STAGE.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪
♪
>> I WILL GET US ON TRACK
TIME-WISE.
IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE.
IT IS HONOR.
I DO WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT
THE CONCEPT OF THE ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN CRUZ'S
BENEFIT.
I AM NOT AN ASTRONAUT,
OBVIOUSLY.
I WAS A FLIGHT DIRECTOR SEVERAL
CAREERS AGO IN THE AGENCY.
I WASES WITH THE 2013 ASTRONAUT
CLASS WHEN WE COMBINED PARTS OF
THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE WITH THE
REST OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND
COMBINING THE PARTY, TOO.
WE HADED A SMALL CLASS.
THERE WAS THREE OF US IN.
THE 2019 CLASS, THE 8 BALLS WERE
THERE.
WE WERE COMBINING THE PARTIES
AND I IS FUNNY BECAUSE CHRISTINA
KOCH SAID WE ARE CALLED ASK CANS
WHAT DO YOU CALL NEW FLIGHT
DIRECTOR CANDIDATES.
ALL OF US SAID FLIGHT DIRECTORS.
[LAUGHTER]
LAUGH SO YOU WILL GET USED TO
THAT AFTER AWHILE, I PROMISE
YOU.
SO I WILL, AGAIN, BE BRIEF HERE.
YOU TOOK THE OATH.
YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
SOME OF YOU TOOK IT BEFORE AND
TOOK IT AGAIN HERE.
NOW YOUR ROLE, YOU GUYS ARE ALL
AMAZING POPE.
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE YOU
REPRESENTED YOURSELF, REP ARE
REPRESENTED YOUR FAMILIES
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE.
PUT TO THE WORLD AND CAME FROM
YOU.
NOW, EVERYTHING YOU DO FLOWS
FROM THE MAJESTY OF THE UNITED
STATES.
DONE EVER FOR GET THAT.
ALL THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE.
THEY ARE PART OF THE 23578LY NOW
TOO.
I LOVE TO HEAR THE KIDS AND
EVERYBODY HERE THAT IS JOINED TO
TORT ARE SUPPORT YOU.
YOU ARE PART OF OUR FAMILY AS
WELL.
EVERYONE HERE, THEIR JOB IS TO
MAKE SURE CAN SUCCESSFUL TO BE
PART OF THE FAMILY.
EXPLORATION MANY PEOPLE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT AND MANY MORE HE'LL
QUENT WAYS I WAN TALK ABOUT WHAT
IT MEANS.
WILL TELL YOU.
I WILL ADD ONE THING.
MAKE SURE TO COME AND I WILL
ASK EVERYONE IN THE ROOM WHO
FEELS RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE
THEY CAN BRING THE CREW HOME AS
WELL ON THE FEET, PLEASE.
WE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU.
WE'LL BRING YOU HOME.
[APPLAUSE]
CONGRATULATIONS.
WELCOME TO THE NASA FAMILY.
LOOK FORWARD TO YOU GUYS DOING
AMAZING THINGS.
WELL BE A RIGHT THERE BESIDE
YOU.
I WILL LEAVE TO IT THE DIRECTOR,
VANESSA.
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU.
THAT WAS AWESOME.
THIS CLASS IS AS SPIRITED AS
THEY ARE TALENTED.
AND WE CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT
THEIR SKILLS CREATIVITY AND
PROMISE BRING TO OUR ASTRONAUT
CORP.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
AND CELEBRATING IN THIS MOMENT.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR ESTEEMED
GUESTS AND SPEAKERS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR
THE NEW CLASS OF ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES AS THEY EMBARK ON
THEIR TRAINING JOURNEY.
TODAY HAS BEEN A CELEBRATION OF
DRIVE, DETERMINATION, AND
DEVOTION.
AS WE WRAP UP, I WANT TO INVITE
ALL OF THE ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES
TO CENTER STAGE BECAUSE THIS
NEXT PART IS FOR YOU.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE.
[APPLAUSE]
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES, AS YOU
BEGIN TO TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS
IN YOUR TRAINING JOURNEYS, YOU
ARE GEARING UP TO JOIN A RICH
AND STORIED HISTORY OF HUMANS,
WHO HAVE DARED TO REACH BEYOND.
YOU WILL BUILD ON OVER 60 YEARS
OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT EXPLORATION
EXPERIENCE.
YOU WILL SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND
UNDERSTANDING AND SHARE IT WITH
THE WORLD.
AND WHEN YOU GO, YOU WILL GO
TOGETHER.
AND WE WILL ALL BE WITH YOU.
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE GROUP 24, WE
ARE PROUD OF YOU.
AND YOUR COUNTRY IS PROUD OF
YOU.
YOUR NEXT GIANT LEAP START HERE.
THANK YOU AND GOD'S SPEED.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
♪ ♪