HHPC Teams Join Forces to Execute the Selection Process for the Next NASA Astronaut Candidate Class
This spring of 2025, the Astronaut Strength, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation Specialist (ASCR), JSC Clinic, and Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) teams assisted with the selection of the next NASA Astronaut Candidate class. During two rounds of selection, the teams worked together to screen applicants through a series of rigorous physical, cognitive, and behavioral tests.
Inital Screening
Round One acts as an initial screening, where applicants are introduced to the tests conducted by Clinic staff. Every Monday and Thursday for five weeks, cohorts of 12 applicants were screened with traditional physical exams including vital signs, laboratory tests, and hearing assessments along with more specialized testing including bone mineral density and imaging. Tests within Round One aim to identify disqualifying conditions that would be found during an in-depth physical exam. During Round Two, Clinic staff prepare applicants to wear Holter monitors for continuous-ECG data collected during their physical testing and help coordinate more extensive medical screening with both internal staff and outside consultants. Round Two screening is so in-depth that many applicants learn about underlying medical conditions not normally caught until later in life.
JSC Clinic Staff
Front row L-R: Denise Chalk, Lisa Marak, Debbie Daley Meyers, Katia Haralson, Cynthia Puente. Second row L-R: Greg Yardley, Christi Bear, Susan Bourbonais, Amy Trabue, Shamakia Franklin, Ailia Williams, Marlana Jones. Third Row L-R: Jennifer Crucian, Manny Tafoya, Andrew Chalk, Seth Davis, Beverly Philmore-Henry, LaRona Smith
Psychological Testing
From a BHP perspective, each Round One week involves completing psychological testing with groups of 24 applicants. BHP’s operational psychologists participate in the Astronaut Selection Board’s (ASB’s) interviews with each applicant. One day of Round One is reserved for psychological/psychiatric interviews. In parallel, BHP prepared for Round Two during which they developed and executed individual exercises in ISS mockups and team reaction exercises in the field (i.e., the JSC Rock Yard). During Round 2, the operational psychologists again participated in the ASB’s interviews. For all of BHP’s Round Two activities, it’s an intensive effort to quickly summarize a significant amount of data regarding the behavioral competencies of applicants for the ASB to make a decision, as well as to provide information required by the Clinic’s aeromedical board.
Gabrielle Cole supports the BHP Applicant Testing in Building 12
Individual and Team Testing
Coinciding with BHP and Clinic efforts, ASCRs were tasked to create and carry out group workouts that tested the interviewees’ ability to accomplish both individual and team goals. These workouts tested their cognitive ability, cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength/endurance, mental resiliency, and ability to succeed individually and as a team. Additionally, the ASCRs provided physical medicine support in the planning process and real-time assistance for off nominal instances such as injury, dehydration, heat illness, cardiac event, etc. Astronaut crew participating in the ASB report ASCRs pushing the interviewees to intense exhaustion (physically and cognitively) allowed the crew the opportunity to observe the interviewees in a different perspective.
Each applicant is typically an accomplished individual with skills that align with the needs of the Astronaut Office. They come from a variety of backgrounds, which leads to each applicant finding different aspects of the screening process more challenging than others. Despite this extensive and difficult process, the applicants are incredibly enthusiastic to pursue a life-long goal to fly in space. If not selected they are not deterred and many apply again, and the selection teams are happy to see the applicants continue pursuing their dream.
(Thanks to Sam Jacobs, Rob Janney, Steve Vanderark, Ryan Linde, Christi Keeler and Jacqueline Charvat for inputs to this article)
Team exercise preparation at the JSC Rock Yard. From L-R: Karen Adkins, Brooke Loofboro, Jessica Hughlett, Jennie Haskett, Beth Turner
Astronaut applicant engaged in an individual BHP exercise at the Building 5 Space Station Training Facility (SSTF)
Coast Guard participating with team exercises
BHP Selection Team 2025
BHP Selection Team 2025 comprised of: From L to R: April Jordan, Terry Guess, Mark Cramer, Sheena Dev, Jim Picano, Brooke Loofboro, Steve Vander Ark, Jennie Haskett, Jessica Hughlett, Rachel Passmore, Pam Baskin, Gabrielle Cole, Bill Ridgway, Sydney Begerowski, Tom Williams, Suzanne Bell, Kim Seaton, Beth Turner, Alexa Baxley, Mason Lantz, Lauren Landon, Al Holland, Andrew Fladeboe, and Victor Vergara
