NASA's Astronauts Corps Grew Bigger With a New Class of Graduates Known as 'The Flies'

"The Flies" are ready to fly! NASA has welcomed a new group of astronauts, known as "The Flies," into its corps as the space agency intends to explore the cosmos further.

NASA Newest Class of Astronauts Graduates

The welcoming of "The Flies" coincided with NASA's call for new candidates as the agency prepares for forthcoming International Space Station (ISS) missions, lunar expeditions under the Artemis program, and eventual voyages to Mars.

NASA welcomed its 10 latest astronauts in a ceremony held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, marking the culmination of their rigorous training journey.

These individuals, now officially certified astronauts, are now eligible for flight assignments to various missions. Expressing enthusiasm for the new astronauts, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson lauded their diversity and underscored the pivotal role astronauts play in advancing humanity's foray into space exploration.

"Congratulations to the newest class of NASA astronauts! We are excited to have a new and diverse set of explorers ready to expand humanity's reach," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

"Astronauts are pioneers who will help us embark on this new era of exploration, and we need more adventurers ready to join the ranks to explore the cosmos, including future missions to the Moon, on to Mars, and beyond," he added.

Newly Minted Astronauts

Chosen from a pool of over 12,000 hopefuls, the astronaut graduates underwent comprehensive training, honing their skills in critical areas such as spacewalking, robotics, and space station operations. Their training regimen, spanning more than two years, prepared them for the demanding challenges of space travel.

These graduates may find themselves on missions to the ISS, participating in future ventures to commercial space stations, joining Artemis missions aimed at lunar exploration, or laying the groundwork for a future trip to Mars.

Celebrating this milestone achievement, US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kiran Ahuja commended NASA's streamlined hiring process, which was facilitated in partnership with OPM.

Ahuja highlighted the collaborative effort to identify and recruit candidates for these prestigious roles, signaling OPM's continued support for NASA's workforce development initiatives.

Echoing Ahuja's sentiments, Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba expressed his pride in welcoming "The Flies" to the astronaut corps as he recognized their dedication and resilience.

Who Are the New Graduates?

The newly graduated NASA astronauts are Nichole Ayers from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Marcos Berríos from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Chris Birch from Gilbert, Arizona; Deniz Bunham from Wasilla, Alaska; Luke Delaney from Debary, Florida; Andre Douglas from Chesapeake, Virginia; Jack Hathaway from South Windsor, Connecticut; Anil Menon from Minneapolis; Chris Williams from Potomac, Maryland, and Jessica Wittner from Clovis, California.

In a display of international cooperation, two UAE astronauts, Nora AlMatrooshi and Mohammad AlMulla, also trained alongside their NASA counterparts and participated in the graduation ceremony.

This partnership between NASA and the UAE has spanned missions to the ISS, collaborative efforts under the Artemis program, and joint scientific endeavors on Earth and in space.