Jessica Wittner (born 1983) is a Commander in the United States Navy and NASA astronaut.[1]
Jessica Wittner | |
|---|---|
.jpg) NASA portrait, 2021 | |
| Born | 1983 (age 40–41) Fresno, California, U.S. |
| Education | University of Arizona (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Selection | NASA Group 23 (2021) |
Life
editWittner is a native of California with a distinguished career serving on active duty as a naval aviator and test pilot. As a teenager she joined the Naval Sea Cadet Corps, where she attained the highest rank, Chief Petty Officer.[2] She holds a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Wittner was commissioned as a naval officer through an enlisted-to-officer program and has served operationally flying F/A-18 fighter jets with Strike Fighter Squadron 34 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Strike Fighter Squadron 151 in Lemoore, California. A graduate of U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, she also worked as a test pilot and project officer with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 in China Lake, California.
On December 6, 2021, Wittner was formally announced as a NASA astronaut candidate with NASA Astronaut Group 23.[3]
In 2023, Wittner participated in the ESA PANGAEA training organized by the European Space Agency, held between Italy (Bletterbach canyon), Germany (Noerdlingen-Ries crater) and Spain (Lanzarote Island)[4][5][6] together with the colleagues Thomas Pesquet and Takuya Onishi.
References
edit- ^ Mars, Kelli (December 3, 2021). "NASA Astronaut Candidate Jessica Wittner". NASA. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ "Sea Cadets: Building Sailors and Citizens". U.S. Naval Institute. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ Margetta, Robert (December 6, 2021). "NASA Selects New Astronaut Recruits to Train for Future Missions". NASA. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ "Moon scouts". www.esa.int. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "Astronauts using the Artemis lunar camera during geological exploration". www.esa.int. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "Jessica Wittner using the Artemis Moon camera". www.esa.int. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
 | This United States biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |