A Look at NASA’s First Commercial Crew Astronauts

Earlier this week NASA announced its first four astronauts for the Commercial Crew program. The astronauts are: Robert Behnken, Sunita Williams, Eric Boe, Douglas Hurley. Here’s their profiles.
NASA Selects Suni Williams for Commercial Crew

Sunita “Suni” Williams is one of four astronauts selected by NASA for Commercial Crew. Bob Behnken, Eric Boe, Doug Hurley and Williams have been selected to be the first astronauts to train for test flights to the International Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Williams, a U.S. Navy captain, was born in Euclid, Ohio, and considers Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown. She flew two long-duration missions on the International Space Station and has flown in space shuttles and Russian Soyuz spacecraft during her career. She set a record for American female astronauts when she completed more than 50 hours of spacewalks. Her missions were Expedition 14/15, which she flew aboard STS-116 and STS-117, and Expedition 32/33, which she flew to and returned to Earth aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

NASA Selects Bob Behnken for Commercial Crew

Bob Behnken is one of four astronauts selected by NASA for Commercial Crew. Behnken, Eric Boe, Doug Hurley and Suni Williams have been selected to be the first astronauts to train for test flights to the International Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Behnken, a colonel in the Air Force, is from St. Ann, Missouri, and flew twice on space shuttles. His 29 days in space include 37 hours conducting six spacewalks. He served as chief astronaut from 2012 to 2015. His shuttle missions were STS-123 and STS-130.

NASA Selects Doug Hurley for Commercial Crew

Doug Hurley is one of four astronauts selected by NASA for Commercial Crew. Bob Behnken, Eric Boe, Hurley and Suni Williams have been selected to be the first astronauts to train for test flights to the International Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Hurley, a retired Marine Corps colonel, was born in Endicott, New York, but considers Apalachin his hometown. He flew two space shuttle missions as pilot, including as part of the crew of STS-135, the final shuttle mission. He has spent more than 28 days in space. Hurley served in several technical assignments within the Astronaut Office including as the NASA director of operations at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. His shuttle missions were STS-127 and STS-135.

NASA Selects Eric Boe for Commercial Crew

Eric Boe is one of four astronauts selected by NASA for Commercial Crew. Bob Behnken, Boe, Doug Hurley and Suni Williams have been selected to be the first astronauts to train for test flights to the International Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Boe, a colonel in the Air Force, was born in Miami and grew up in Atlanta. He served as pilot on two space shuttle missions, accumulating more than 28 days in space. He has served in high management roles for NASA’s Astronaut Office and at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. His shuttle missions were STS-126 and STS-133.