We’re NASA’s Newest Astronauts! Ask us anything.

Who has the most hours logged on Kerbal Space Program?

Oh man, sounds like very few of us have played... and although i might be awful at it, it is a lot of fun! Hopefully NASA teaches us how to fly a little better than my Kerbel sims have gone. -Robb

Knowing the dangers of traveling into space and risking your life, was your decision to accept this role difficult or a no-brainer?

All of mankind's progress has been dependent on taking risks. It's important to do them in a calculated way, with no risk involved, but we trust those that design the rockets and spacecraft, as well as those that will help us operate them to minimize the risk. - Robb

It was definitely a no brainer for me! Having served as a Cobra pilot in combat, I've come to realize that doing the things I love is worth the risk. -Jasmin

Definitely a no-brainer, but grateful for the training and support we'll receive to make it as safe as possible! -Zena

One of the amazing things about the class that was just chosen is the diversity of experience. Many in the class have previous roles and responsibilities that involved high risk. I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's a complete honor to take on this role and be involved in the future of space exploration. -WH

I definitely considered it, but I've doing things that are considered high risk for most of my career, so it didn't detract from wanting to do it. -FR

This question is for Jessica - Are you going to bring your Buzz Lightyear, Pizza Alien, and Rocket Boy Lego Minifigures to space?

You know it. - JW

Julia (age 9) has a question?

Julia, I think that's a really good question! I bet you'll make an awesome environmental engineer or biologist... maybe you can work on that for us. -Zena

Julia, I think you have some great ideas and would be a great asset here at NASA. I hope you continue to come up with new ideas and pursue your dreams. I haven't been to the moon...yet. -Jasmin

To Robb... as a (former) SpaceX employee, are you hoping your first spaceflight is aboard Dragon?

I would love to fly on Falcon and Dragon! I firmly believe that the SpaceX team is dedicated to ensuring safe and reliable spaceflight, and are developing some incredible rockets and spacecraft. I also have strong confidence in our other partners though, and look forward to flying on whatever spacecraft I might have the opportunity to be on! -Robb

What did you study in college/university?

I studied mathematics at the University of San Diego and medicine at Harvard. - Jonny

I studied Aerospace Engineering for both my undergraduate (Boston University) and graduate (Univ of Alabama) degrees. -BH

I studied geology (of Mars) at Stanford University and UCLA. -JW

I studied aerospace engineering at MIT for undergrad, then computer science at UC Berkeley for grad school. I love being between 2 fields! -WH

Mechanical engineering and materials engineering! - Robb

My undergrad degree at UNC Chapel Hill was in Biology, but I had minors in Marine Sciences and Creative Writing, and did my Honors thesis in poetry! I stayed at UNC for my Master's in Marine Sciences, and now I'm at Penn State in Geosciences, but the running theme in my research has been environmental microbiology. -Zena

MIT, and I studied aerospace engineering there. -Jasmin

I studied Electrical Engineering as a major. I also studied math and physics because I loved the subjects and ended up with minors in both. I also rowed on the crew team. After going to Navy flight school and flying F/A-18E's I went to grad school for a Master of Science in Systems Engineering in conjunction with Naval Test Pilot School. - Matthew Dominick

University of San Diego has two graduates in this Astronaut Class! Go Toreros!

I studied Astronautical engineering and engineering science at the Air Force Academy with a math minor and then at MIT did aero/astro with a focus on guidance and control at both...RJC

Aerospace Engineering at The University of Kansas -Loral O'Hara

Bachelors- Systems Engineering. Masters- Nuclear Engineering. -Kayla

What kind of toothpaste do you use?

ProNamel. -WH

Congratulations! What was the most difficult part of the selection process?

The wait for the phone call saying that I was selected was the toughest part. Another difficult part was knowing that so many talented and remarkable people who would have made for good astronauts were not selected. -Jonny

Probably just watching other awesome people not make through each round. There are amazing people going through this, and you get to know each other well during the interviews.

You basically live together for a week, and are going through everything together, and it makes for a quick bonding process. You feel like you're losing close friends when they don't make it through to the next round. -FR

I think the hardest part was knowing how many other great candidates there are that I met in the interview process that aren't here. It was amazingly humbling to meet the people I did and realize that America has such a wellspring of talent and brilliance....RJC

Actually, it was leaving the interview rounds. Each time we came in for the interviews, we met all these amazing people, built friendships with them, then had to say goodbye to them at the end of the week, potentially to never see them again. Going through that multiple times was very difficult because you get to know everyone so well and build such strong relationships...and everyone seems like they'd make a great astronaut. -Bob

Thank you! For me, the most difficult part was the waiting period. And after we found out, having to keep the secret until today! The actual interview process was difficult, but mostly fun. -Zena

Are any of you the first astronauts to represent your respective hometowns?

Congratulations!

I am the first to be born in Alaska -- my hometown is Anchorage, and I still think it's my favorite place on Earth! - Robb

I'm not sure about Iowa but am pretty sure I'm the first from Cedar Falls....although I did meet a secret service agent afterwards from VP Pence's detail who went to school in Cedar Falls....RJC

I'm the second astronaut from Houston! The first is Shannon Walker who was selected in 2009. -Loral O'Hara

I follow in the footsteps of Astronaut Jack Fischer who is currently on the ISS and is from Louisville, Colorado, the town next door to where I grew up (Lafayette). -JW

I am...I moved around a lot, but I graduated high school in Mountaintop, PA tiny town in northeastern PA. It literally has about two roads and two red lights! -Bob

Mike Massimino was from near my hometown, but not from Baldwin, NY itself. When I was in junior high, I found out he was selected, and he's been one of my idols since. -Jasmin

Yes. Wheat Ridge, CO - Matthew Dominick

What has the past 2 weeks been like - unable to tell anyone but your family and I assume work supervisor?

Good question... it was such an absolute utter surprise and joy to get that phone call on the 25th, but really difficult not to share that joy with a lot of the people who made it possible for me to be here in the first place. Really really happy the secret is out now. :) -Zena

It has been super tough to keep this exciting news from friends and extended family. There have been so many people who have helped get me to this point and I am so grateful to be able to share this with them! - JW

What are some non obvious things that would make someone ineligible to be an astronaut?

Being hard to get along with. -WH

Not having a degree in a STEM field. There's some physical disqualifications as well. -Jasmin

Has becoming an astronaut always been your dream? If so, what hurdles did you have to overcome to achieve it?

No. I've always dreamed of making a difference. As a kid, those initial dreams were to be in the Navy and then a doctor. I started dreaming of space exploration in medical school when I realized the impact NASA can have on future generations of thinkers and innovators. - Jonny

Surprisingly no! I have always been interested in exploration, but it was doing research on the Columbia loss for a class project that opened my eyes to space exploration and the potential of becoming an astronaut. -Robb

It has been a dream since I was in elementary school. There are a lot of huddles I had to overcome. One of the first biggest ones was attending MIT. I certainly wasn't the smartest person there, but I think with a lot of teamwork and help from classmates I was able to make it through. Additionally, there were times going through training for the Marine Corps, as well as test pilot school, where things got really difficult. But the people around me carried me through. -Jasmin

When I was a kid, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said a pilot. Only because being an astronaut didn't even seem in the realm of possibility. If you asked me if I wanted to be a pilot, the answer would have been ABSOLUTELY!!! -Bob

Space boxers or space briefs?

boxers....rjc

Did any of you attend SpaceCamp or Space Academy in Huntsville?

I attended SpaceCamp in Huntsville, AL when I was in 6th grade. I'm pretty sure there's a really cheesy picture of me floating around on Facebook from back then. It definitely fanned the flame of my passion for Aerospace! I highly recommend going (or sending your kids) if you are interested in spaceflight. -Bob

I did! I attended the Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville back in early high school. It was an amazing experience and I definitely recommend it! -Jasmin

Are you the astronauts that will eventually walk on mars? Or will the next astronaut class get to do that?

We all hope so! It will be incredible to make humans multi-planetary. And perhaps the best part would be recognizing the amazingness of our spaceship Earth! - Robb

We're all really excited to be joining NASA at a time when we are going to be pushing space exploration further into the solar system than ever before. We don't know yet in what way exactly we'll serve, but it's an incredibly exciting time, especially with multiple vehicles being developed... all of which we might fly on. -WH

I hope so! -Jasmin

We hope so! -FR

Now that you've been selected what are the next steps?

What will your training involve, how may you be selected for a mission, and could you give us some insight into the eventual "desk work" part of being an astronaut?

We will be trained in spacewalking skills, robotics, ISS systems, flight training, and Russian language over the next two years. After that we will enter the pool of astronauts waiting for flight assignments, and support the office in a variety of ways. We'll continue training throughout our careers though, so we won't spend too much time staying still! -Loral O'Hara

We'll start training in August. It'll involve learning about the systems of the Space Station, robotics, spacewalks, the Russian language and flight training. We'll learn other things too. - Jonny

What age would say is to old to try and what you have? I'm 24 and currently studying a unrelated field.

I'm 41, and just got picked up, and I believe the oldest was 46. -FR

It's never too late to learn something new! -Loral O'Hara

There is officially no age limit to apply. The key is you need a degree in a STEM field, but more importantly: pursue whatever you love! There are lots of ways to support NASA and space exploration as non-scientists, too. -Zena

Never to old to pursue what you love. My 80 year old grandmother loves people and technology. She learned computers twenty years ago and used Facebook and FaceTime through 100 years old. Pursue what you love with passion and things will fall into place. - Matthew Dominick

Do you like to play video games? Are you a PS4 or Xbox One fan? or on PC most? what else do you like to do to relax?

I used to play a lot of Xbox. I was a big Halo fan, unfortunately, I stopped playing video games when I became very busy with work and family. To relax, I like hanging out with my family and working out. - Jonny

Got to echo Frank here - love getting in the outdoors to try and experience the incredible planet we are so lucky to live on! Always psyched to dig my toes in the sand, run a single track trail, swim, or crunch some crampons on ice. Get out for some adventure! -Robb

I like mountain biking. It keeps your mind off of anything else. -FR

POJO,. Who is your favorite fixed wing and carrier suit engineer?

Oh boy . . . The carrier suitability flight test as a team is the greatest flight test team in the business. Period. Impossible to call out a single individual. Miss you guys. - Matthew Dominick

When you meet new people and they ask "What do you do for a living?" and you reply with "I work for NASA." what are the reactions and how long does it take for them to believe you actually DO work for NASA?

Good question...I haven't had the chance to tell anyone before today so if you believe it, I guess they will to. I think working for NASA is easy to answer with, especially in the Houston area where Johnson is located.....Raja Chari

how many times have you puked doing zero gravity cprs?

I came really close about 10 times...but never actually got sick (Phew!). I was actually the pilot for the zero G airplane, so I got pretty used to it. It's the one airplane, for a pilot, that's actually more fun to be in the back than in the front! -Bob

Still hoping to get to zero G! -Robb

The closest I ever was to puking in a jet was my very first flight in pilot training in the T-37....it was probably good the flight ended when it did, I didn't have any problems after until years later when I was instructing from the back seat of a an F-15E and the student pilot was doing some aggressive practice maneuvers down low (maybe to get me sick?)....but kept it down and haven't had issues since....RJC

First of all, congratulations!

What rockets will you be flying throughout your missions? And what specific missions are you guys (and girls) looking forward to?

For the actual rockets -- we're currently looking at Space Launch System for Orion, and Falcon 9 for Dragon and Atlas for Starliner. And I'm personally looking forward to flying on my own hardware! (I designed small pieces on Falcon 9.) - Robb

We could be flying on NASA's Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station, Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon. We're looking forward to starting our astronaut training so that we can go fly on a future mission. - Jonny

Currently we have four different vehicles on the horizon: the international space station, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, SpaceX's Crew Dragon, and Orion. I would be extremely excited to go on any of those vehicles! -Jasmin

We'll either be assigned to the International Space Station, Orion, or one of the commercial crew vehicles. At this point, I'm just really excited to start training! -Loral O'Hara

Hi,

I’m a teenager who aspires to do great things when I’m older. My question is, was there ever a point in your childhood/adolescence when you decided that you wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up? I feel like everyone has that phase at some point. If so, how did you manage to stick with your dream and make it a reality?

Like many people, I decided I wanted to be an astronaut as a kid. I started doing things I thought would help me get there, like taking flying lessons and studying aerospace engineering in college. But then I veered from the traditional aerospace route and went into oceanography. I think I've just always pursued whatever most excited me at time! Follow what you love and don't lose the dream. -Loral O'Hara

For me it wasn't one magical moment but rather an evolution....actually that happened largely in high school as you're probably close to being in if you're not already.
I knew around 8th grade that I really wanted to fly and I also got really interested in science (our grade school had just got a new science lab and lab tables....it was a big deal for an 8th grader). In high school I learned about the Air Force Academy and the idea of a world class education combined with getting to fly and serve my country was the perfect idea of what I wanted to do. I stuck with it largely because I had some teachers at Columbus High School in Waterloo IA that encouraged that dream and took the time to challenge me with work outside class....Raja Chari

What upcoming NASA missions are you most excited for?

I think the possibility of going back to the Moon is awesome. -FR

I'm excited for any of the missions that expands our knowledge and helps us venture further into deep space. -Jonny

Question for Zena - how much did sock wrestling contribute to your strength and conditioning?

Key factor, for sure, though it may have contributed more to my humility. :-P #adultmilestones -Z

Seems like this is one of the youngest astronaut classes in recent memory! This signals a real commitment to training you all in anticipation of missions in the 2030s to Mars and beyond. What game would you challenge the rest of your class at that you're confident you could win in order to secure a seat on the first NASA human mission to Mars?

Definitely "One Night Werewolf" ...although, I need to get a lot better! -Bob

Definitely agree with "One Night Ultimate Werewolf". You're going down, Bob!! -Jasmin (aka The Villager)

Settlers of Catan, for sure! -Kayla

Rugby! (not because I think I could win, but it would be fun!) - JW

Either washers or cornhole, just to keep it fun. -FR

In all honesty, how would you react if you discovered alien life on another planet?

I would really hope that they were friendly. -FR

Did you pursue a specific educational/vocational trajectory to become an astronaut? If not, when in your career did you change trajectory?

Nice use of trajectory. I always pursued what I loved. When I was younger it was all about going fast and working with big machines. F/A-18E's launching and landing on aircraft carriers fit the bill. Later I remembered that I loved science, math, and engineering. Naval test pilot fit perfectly. Astronaut was the next step in meeting my three criteria for what I do. 1. Do things I love. 2. Work with passionate and amazing people. 3. Contribute to the world. - Matthew Dominick

No, I didn't pursue a specific path to become an astronaut. Instead, I pursued what I was happy and passionate about. It was math as an undergrad and medicine as graduate student. In the end, my advice is that you should pursue what makes you happy and interests you. -Jonny

I don't think I ever did change trajectory. I loved everything I did, and I would still be happy if I didn't get to be an astronaut. -Jasmin

I pursued a winding path that included becoming an engineer, working search and rescue in Yosemite National Park, getting graduate degrees and leading a research group. Ultimately, what held this together for me was just pursuing things I was really interested in doing and that I thought were important. -WH

Definitely a focus on STEM was a key...in my case engineering was something I loved and also happens to be a key skill set from a vocational trajectory for an astronaut. Once I started in flight test I knew I'd chosen well...it was the perfect blend of flying and engineering and the idea of doing that in an orbital environment is just taking it to the next level....Raja Chari

@Loral, who is your favorite cousin?

All of you :) -Loral O'Hara

Favorite pizza topping?

Pineapple and mushrooms. -WH

I like legit NYC-style pizza. -FR

Bacon & Feta -Bob

jalapenos....Raja

What did you like most about The Martian movie and what did you like least as far as being accurate?

I liked most how they highlighted his ability to think through problems, and deal with them one at a time and remain calm despite extreme odds. -FR

What I liked most about the movie was that it was a very human story of struggle and survival against the greatest odds. I didn't really critique it like my scientist and engineering colleagues did. -Jonny

As people who've achieved one of the most celebrated, difficult, and amazing careers, what advice to you have to those at home? Folks from all walks of life who might one day be in awe of your accomplishments, or even people who might scoff at your efforts.

Astronaut to civilian, human to human, what do you have to say?

Follow your passion and be excellent...do your best at absolutely everything you do. -Bob

How can I convince the flat earth community that you actually go to space?

Science.....Raja Chari

Congratulations! What percentage of Astronaut candidates go on to achieve spaceflight?

Close to a 100% incredibly! NASA works hard to select talented individuals that are able to make it through the training program, as is witnessed by the rad and talented colleagues I'm here with today! -Robb

In August I will be starting college and I plan on majoring in physics and hopefully become an astronaut later. However, I have rheumatoid arthritis and I feel like this would disqualify me. Would it?

Unfortunately rheumatoid arthritis is something that would disqualify you from becoming an astronaut, but it is nothing to hold you back from the awesome community that works to make space exploration possible. To be honest, the best part about becoming an astronaut so far has been the journey and life experiences gained getting to this point - there are so many fantastic opportunities to make a positive difference in the world, and for spaceflight, and I look forward to seeing what you are able to achieve! -Robb

What is a big part of your job that the average person has no idea about?

Learning Russian is a requirement for graduating from a candidate to an astronaut. -FR

Congrats to all of you! Would love to be in your shoes one day :) I was wondering if any of you had a favorite and/or role model astronaut while growing up? And if so, why that person?

Neil Armstrong...his humility after achieving such an amazing feat was very inspiring. He truly recognized that there were casts of thousands that made achieving the goal of landing on the moon possible. -Bob

Favorite movies??

(congratulations on being selected!)

My favorite movie, as corny as it sounds, is Gattaca. The reason it's my favorite is not because of the space aspect, but because it's one of the greatest underdog stories ever. Possibly rivaling Rocky. -Jonny

Gladiator. -FR

Apollo 13, of course! -Bob

Despite the immense odds against you for becoming an astronaut, what gave you motivation to continue to pursue being an astronaut?

If you never try, you never have a chance. -Bob

I've been motivated to leave a positive contribution to this world. Obviously family and friends have motivated me, but with my military background, seeing my platoon mates, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice, has continued to motivate me towards this path -- both in medicine and now becoming an astronaut. -Jonny

It's cliche but true, it was really more about the journey than the destination....it never became an issue to continue pursuing it because I loved my job so much....I get to test F-35's and be an engineer to make it better, how great is that? Doing something you're passionate about, you'll always do well...RJC

Incredible mentorship. I've been lucky to have some amazing family, friends, educators, peers, and leaders that have challenged and supported me. - Kayla

It's something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid. I love exploration! - Loral O'Hara

My friends and family were the ones who helped push me any time I second-guessed myself. Also, there was never a point where I wasn't doing something I loved along the journey, so it wasn't too difficult to keep trying. -Jasmin

For POJO: Is it possible for the flag to fly for freedom in a microgravity environment?

Absolutely! I will always keep a keen eye on old glory. - Matthew Dominick

What are the things you are most excited about living in space ?

I'm most excited about looking outside my window and seeing our beautiful planet. -Jonny

The view. - JW

Getting to see the Earth from space everyday! -Loral O'Hara

The exploration, the chance to contribute to something amazing, the microgravity, the views - all of it. -FR

At what point in your academic careers did you realize you were on a path to potentially become an astronaut, and what made you decide to pursue that path?

I realized I might actually have a chance at becoming an astronaut as I began to get more involved in fieldwork and research cruises at my current job. These experiences helped to develop the skills needed for longer duration spaceflight missions, such as being a good team member, being prepared, and solving challenging and unexpected problems with limited resources. -Loral O'Hara

Besides mission work and space exploration, what other goals and objectives do you all wish to accomplish as astronauts?

I'd certainly like to help carry the torch to inspire the next generation of explorers. Keeping the proud tradition of NASA moving forward is certainly a worthy goal. -Bob

Inspire the next generation of astronauts so we can continue to explore further and further into space. -Jasmin

What new experiments will be carried out by this class of astronauts?

Right now we are just looking forward to training for the next two years! -Loral O'Hara

What place on Earth are you looking forward to seeing from space the most?

(that sentence structure is awful I'm sorry)

I'm looking forward to seeing California from space, and now Texas which is where I'll now be living. - Jonny

My favorite place - the Rocky Mountains! -Kayla

If you could only bring one book/book series on your mission with you, then what would it be and why?

I've already read it but would take it again...its the Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson, an amazingly comprehensive history of WWII and the day to day trials and experiences of the individuals at the unit and allied leadership levels....Raja Chari

Probably The Lord of the Rings. It's long enough to keep you entertained, and it never gets old. -FR

This question is for all of you. What do you think about the prospect of Mars colonization?

I'm more excited about the technology and innovation that will be required to make that a reality. The benefits these new discoveries will bring to Earth will enrich everyone's lives. - Jonny

I actually think that making humanity multi-planetary is incredibly important for continued success here on Spaceship Earth, so let's get going! -Robb

What impact do you wish to make as an astronaut?

I just want to be part of this amazing team at JSC, NASA and the country that pushes the bounds of the unknown and moves humanity further into the solar system....Raja Chari

With the prevalence of Space Travel and humanity's obsession with the infinite depths of Space... also considering you are all aerospace engineers...

Does our mysterious oceans interest you? We can travel millions of miles into space, but I also love idea of discovering the unknown with our toes in the sand

The oceans are so interesting! Before I studied caves, most of my research was on the deep sea. I think it's so wild that until a few years ago (2012?) we had been to the Moon more recently and more often than we'd been to the deepest point in our own ocean! There's still so much to learn. -Zena

I'd be incredibly excited to be part of deep sea exploration, and often thought that if not selected as an astronaut, that would be a great second or third career. I can only dream about the incredible life forms and geology to be discovered, and the engineering efforts required to get there. It's truly the last awesome frontier here on earth! Let's go dig those toes in, and head for the deep! -Robb

What's your opinion on freeze-dried food?

I've tried the ice cream, and loved it. It's part of what made me want to apply to be an astronaut. -FR

Believe it or not, I actually like it. -Zena

How does it feel to know that your missions include going into a place where almost no Earthlings have gone into (space)?

I'm pretty sure Matt Damon has been there - is that why you said "almost"? - JW

Did you have any role models growing up who inspired you to reach where you are now?

When I was in high school, I used to attend the space shuttle debriefings at Johnson Space Center. I remember getting to meet Eileen Collins at one of them them and thinking that could be me someday! I think the flight photo for that mission with all the crewmembers' signatures is still hanging on my wall at home. -Loral O'Hara

What do you most look forward to in the years to come with NASA?

I am super excited about the opportunity to explore the solar system, especially Mars! I look forward to working with this awesome group as we train for that. - JW

I'm really looking forward to working with the other members of the new class as we go through training together. I'm also looking forward to the variety of training opportunities that are available to us! -Loral O'Hara

I look forward to growing and learning from this incredible family. - Jonny

Working with and getting to know my classmates better over the next 2 years. -Jasmin

Hey guys and congratulations! What kind of things do you like to do in your downtime, if and when you have any? :)

I like to hike, backpack, run, read, play board games, and cook/eat delicious food. -Kayla

I like to run, swim, weight lift, hangout with family, drown in random Wikipedia articles, and YouTube new skills to learn. I enjoy outdoor activities, too. - Jonny

Where did you get your flight experience from?

"2. At least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight test experience is highly desirable"

this^

For me it's all come through the Air Force, primarily in the F-15E operationally and then the F-15 and F-35 primarily in flight test....Raja Chari

As a U.S. Army aviator, flying Blackhawk helicopters. -FR

Hey guys congratulations! If any of you are engineers, what kind? And how did you get involved with Nasa? Any advice for making it in your field (not particularly becoming an astronaut but working with Nasa or any company that is sending things to space)?

I'm studying Electrical and Computer Engineering right now and some of the advances that have been made in the last few years are unreal!

I also studied electrical engineering and computer science, and I run a lab at MIT in the aerospace engineering department. I love engineering because it's so much fun to solve problems and create systems that do things that were never before possible. An engineering degree sets you up to do almost anything. -WH

I studied systems engineering (mostly control systems and robotics) and nuclear engineering before serving in the Navy's submarine warfare community. My advice to aspiring engineers would be to study and pursue research in areas you that you are truly passionate about. I think doing what you love is always the best way to go! - Kayla

For Zena, Loral, and Warren - if you could do a research project on the space station right now, what would you want to do?

I would be so stoked to do some gene sequencing on the ISS! -Zena