Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in the PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
jsc2025e012272 - (February 17, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers smiles in her flight suit at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers
jsc2024e050141 (May 13, 2024) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague is pictured at SpaceX’s HangarX facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague
2004 NASA Dryden Research Pilots. Left to Right: Edwin W. Lewis, Jr., David A. Wright (Director of Flight Operations), William Frederick Brockett, Frank Batteas, Craig R. Bomben, Richard G. Ewers, James W. Smolka, Douglas H. Baker, C. Gordon Fullerton (Chief Pilot), James Barrilleaux, Martin J. Trout, and Mark Pestana. (not pictured: Dana Purifoy)
2004 NASA Dryden Research Pilots
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
NASA test pilot Nils Larson walks around an F-15B research aircraft for a rehearsal flight supporting the agency’s Quesst mission at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flight was part of a full-scale dress rehearsal for Phase 2 of the mission, which will eventually measure quiet sonic thumps generated by the X-59. The flight series helped NASA teams refine procedures and practice data collection ahead of future X-59 flights.
NASA Test Pilot Prepares for Rehearsal Flight
jsc2024e050136 (June 23, 2024) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague poses for a photo in his flight suit at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague
jsc2025e064542 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses for a photo during a training session at SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke
jsc2025e064540 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke is pictured training inside a mockup of a Dragon cockpit at SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke
jsc2025e064543 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses for a photo during a training session at SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke
jsc2025e064541 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses for a photo during a training session at SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke
jsc2025e064539 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke is pictured training inside a mockup of a Dragon cockpit at SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 pilot and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue"Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo"Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo"Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
jsc2024e050133 (June 23, 2024) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague focuses on his training inside a Dragon mockup crew vehicle at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague
jsc2024e050135 (June 23, 2024) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague is pictured smiling in his flight suit during training at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague
jsc2025e015860 (March 7, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers poses for a portrait in her pressure suit at the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers
jsc2024e050132 (June 23, 2024) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague trains inside a Dragon mockup crew vehicle at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pilot Nick Hague
NASA test pilots Jim “Clue” Less and Wayne “Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.
NASA Pilots Prepare for QSF18 Flight
Jeremy Johnson leaving the hangar for a test flight in NASA Glenn Research Center’s PC-12 aircraft on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson leaving the hangar for a test flight in NASA Glenn Research Center’s PC-12 aircraft on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson
jsc2026e002318 (Jan. 14, 2026) --- NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station, poses for a portrait in his pressure suit at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission
jsc2025e034090 (Dec. 5, 2024) --- NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains for his mission at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of his flight to the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission
jsc2025e060301 (May 19, 2025) --- NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station, poses for a portrait in his pressure suit at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission
jsc2025e034089 (Dec. 5, 2024) --- NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains for his mission at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of his flight to the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission
jsc2025e012001_alt (Feb. 24, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission Mike Fincke poses for a portrait at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-11 Pilot Mike Fincke
jsc2024e079789 (Nov. 20, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission Nichole Ayers is pictured training inside a mockup of a Dragon cockpit at the company's facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers
jsc2024e079790 (Nov. 20, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission Nichole Ayers is pictured training inside a mockup of a Dragon cockpit at the company's facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers
jsc2024e079791 (Nov. 20, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission Nichole Ayers is pictured inside a mockup of a Dragon cockpit at the company's facilities in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers
Mark Russell, center, a research pilot at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, explains the differences in flight environments at different NASA centers. Jim Less, a NASA pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, left, Russell, and Nils Larson, NASA Armstrong chief X-59 aircraft pilot and senior advisor on flight research, provided perspective on flight research at the Ideas to Flight Workshop on Sept. 18 at NASA Armstrong.
NASA Pilots Add Perspective to Research
jsc2025e034084 (Dec. 4, 2024) --- NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains inside a SpaceX Dragon mockup at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of his flight to the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission
Former NASA research pilot Eddie Schneider was on hand when a brass plaque summarizing his career was unveiled during the 2005 Aerospace Walk of Honor ceremonies in Lancaster, California.
Former NASA research pilot Eddie Schneider with the brass plaque summarizing his career during the 2005 Aerospace Walk of Honor ceremonies in Lancaster, Calif.
X-15 Pilots, Left to Right: Air Force pilot William J. "Pete" Knight, Air Force Major Robert A. Rushworth, Air Force Captain Joseph H. Engle, NASA pilot Milton O. Thompson, NASA pilot Bill Dana, and NASA pilot John B. "Jack" McKay.
X-15 pilots
NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.
NASA X-59 Test Pilot Completes Successful Flight
NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.
NASA X-59 Test Pilot Completes Successful Flight
NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.
NASA X-59 Test Pilot Completes Successful Flight
jsc2025e060539 (June 24, 2025) --- NASA astronaut Chris Williams (left) speaks with pilot John Gustine ahead of their flight on a T-38 jet out of Ellington Field in Houston, Texas.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and T-38 pilot John Gustine
Famed astronaut Neil A. Armstrong – the first person to set foot on the Moon during the historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969 – spent seven years as a research pilot at the NACA-NASA High-Speed Flight Station, now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, before joining the space program. During his tenure, Armstrong was actively engaged in both the piloting and engineering aspects of numerous NASA programs and projects.
Neil Armstrong’s Years as a NASA Pilot
jsc2025e034272 (March 28, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission Mike Fincke is photographed during an interview in a studio at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, before his upcoming mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Helen Arase Vargas
NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-11 Pilot Mike Fincke
Scott Howe, a pilot at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, assisted with monitoring California's wildfires by operating a MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft during launches and recoveries for the California Air National Guard. The MQ-9 closely resembles the Ikhana aircraft, which Howe had piloted at Armstrong.
NASA Armstrong Pilots Assist in Wildfire Efforts
NASA Pilot Bruce Peterson in the cockpit of the restored M2-F1 Lifting Body.
NASA Pilot Bruce Peterson in the cockpit of the restored M2-F1 Lifting Body.
Phillip Wellner from Life Support conducts a spirometry test on NASA Pilot Nils Larson before a Pilot Breathing Assessment flight at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. 
NASA Pilot Nils Larson Does a Spirometry Test
jsc2026e019255 (April 1, 2026) – Lead Artemis II Flight Director Jeff Radigan (left) and capsule communicator (capcom) Amy Dill (right) in the White Flight Control Room at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. At the time of this photograph, a little over three hours into the mission, the Artemis II crew conducting a manual piloting test called the proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers monitored Orion as the astronauts transitioned the spacecraft to manual mode and piloted its flight path and orientation. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, and undocking for future Artemis missions. Credit: NASA
Manual Piloting NASA’s Orion Spacecraft
Former flight test instructor and current NASA test pilot Nils Larson reunited with former student and current astronaut Victor Glover on Oct. 21 during an open house at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
LRC-2023-H1_P_ NilsVictorClayton-00792
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center test pilots Jim "Clue" Less (front) and Wayne "Ringo" Ringelberg (back) taxi out in a NASA F/A-18 at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, in preparation of a training flight for the Quiet Supersonic Flights 2018 series, or QSF18. The QSF18 flights will provide NASA with feedback necessary to validate community response techniques for future quiet supersonic research flights for the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology, or QueSST.
NASA Pilots Practice QSF18 Flight
NASA ER-2 pilot Tim Williams prepares for a check flight with life support on May 13, 2022.
NASA ER-2 Pilot Prepares for Flight
Jeremy Johnson leaving the hangar for a test flight in NASA Glenn Research Center’s PC-12 aircraft on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
NASA SkillBridge Research Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer Jeremy Johnson