SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Katherine Spies, who considers San Diego her hometown and served as a Marine on Camp Pendleton, spoke to ABC 10News about how she became an astronaut candidate at NASA.
WATCH: Spies breaks down her path to becoming a NASA astronaut candidate
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NASA picked Spies as a candidate for its 2025 astronaut class, and she reported for duty in September. She's an AH-1 attack helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, accumulating over 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. She has a chemical engineering bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and a master's in design engineering from Harvard, according to her bio on the NASA website.
Spies has begun her two-year training process to become an astronaut.
ABC 10News executive producer Eric Solomon asked Spies the following questions in an interview Monday:
- Can you describe the moment you found out you'd been selected as a NASA astronaut candidate?
- How did your mom react to this incredible news?
- When did you first realize that becoming an astronaut was something you wanted to pursue? What steps did you take to reach this point in your career?
- You've spent significant time in San Diego, both in school and attending events like the Miramar Air Show. Are there any particular moments, experiences, or people from your time here that helped shape your path or contributed to your success?
- For readers who may not be familiar with the process, can you explain what being a NASA astronaut candidate means? What does your training involve, and what can you expect in the coming months and years?
- Do you know what percentage of astronaut candidates typically complete the program to become full astronauts? How many candidates are in your current class?
- What aspects of your future work with NASA excite you most? Are you particularly drawn to potential space missions, or are there ground-based projects that capture your interest?
- If you could choose between missions to the International Space Station, the Moon, or Mars, which would be your preference and why?
- How are astronauts selected for specific missions? Do you have input on which missions you'd like to join, or is it determined by NASA based on training and expertise?
- Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about your journey to NASA or what this opportunity means to you?
