When SpaceX launches the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft atop it from historic Launch Complex 39A, the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) will finally have reached fruition. Aboard Resilience will be three NASA astronauts and one JAXA astronaut, all heading to the International Space Station for a six-month stay at the orbiting laboratory.
While SpaceX previously launched a pair of astronauts to the ISS as part of the Crew Dragon Demo 2 test flight, the Crew 1 flight will mark the first crew rotational flight of the CCP era, as well as only the second time a private company has launched humans into orbital space aboard its own spacecraft.
Crew-1 is comprised of Crew Dragon Commander Michael Hopkins (NASA), Crew Dragon Pilot Victor Glover (NASA), and Mission Specialists Shannon Walker (NASA) and Soichi Noguchi (JAXA).
Michael Hopkins
NASA Astronaut Michael Hopkins, a native of Lebanon, Missouri holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois, as well as a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University. In his current role with NASA, he supports International Space Station operations out of the Johnson Space Center.Hopkins was selected in July 2009 as one of 9 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class. He graduated from Astronaut Candidate Training in November 2011. Prior to this mission, he has logged 166 days in space. As a member of the Expedition 37/38 crew aboard the International Space Station, he completed two EVAs, for a combined total of 12 hours and 58 minutes outside of the vehicle.
Hopkins will serve as Crew Dragon Commander on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission, which will be his second flight into space, as well as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 64.
Victor Glover
NASA Astronaut Victor Glover, a native of California, holds a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering, a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science. Glover was selected in 2013 as one of the eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class, while serving as a Legislative Fellow in the United States Senate. He graduated from Astronaut Candidate Training in 2015. He is a Naval Aviator and a former test pilot in the F/A‐18 Hornet, Super Hornet and EA‐18G Growler. To date, he has a cumulative total of 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft, over 400 carrier arrested landings and 24 combat missions.
Glover will serve as Crew Pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission, which will be his first spaceflight, as well as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 64.
Soichi Noguchi
Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa. He holds three degrees from the University of Tokyo – a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies. Noguchi was selected as an astronaut candidate by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, now Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in 1996. He completed two years of Astronaut Candidate Training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, followed by specialized training in several mission specific areas.
He has logged a total of 177 days 3 hours 5 minutes in space, including the STS-114 and ISS Expedition 22/23 missions. In that time, he served as a crew member for STS-114 (LF1), where he conducted three Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), as a lead spacewalker, for a total of 20 hours and 5 minutes of spacewalk time. With that mission, he also became the first Japanese astronaut to perform EVAs on the International Space Station (ISS). He was also the first Japanese left-seater aboard the Soyuz TMA-17 (21S) when it launched to the ISS, where Noguchi would spend 161 days as a Flight Engineer for the Expedition 22/23 mission. His roles after that included Chief of JAXA Astronaut Group, president of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), and Expedition 62/63 Mission crew.
Noguchi will serve as a Mission Specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission, which will be his third visit to the ISS, as well as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 64.
Shannon Walker
NASA Astronaut Shannon Walker, a native of Houston, Texas, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics, a Master of Science and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Space Physics from Rice University. She was selected in 2004 as one of the members of the 19th NASA astronaut class. She graduated from Astronaut Candidate Training in 2006. Additionally, she completed qualification in the spacewalk skills program and the Canadian Space Agency Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Robotics Operator (MRO) course. Walker began her career as a Robotics Flight Controller for the Space Shuttle Program, in 1987, which included working Space Shuttle missions STS-27, STS-32, STS-51, STS-56, STS-60, STS-61, and STS‑66. She was also the Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 24/25, residing in space for 163 days.
Walker will serve as Mission Specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission, which will be her second flight into space, as well as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 64.
