Kayla Barron
American submarine warfare officer, engineer, and NASA astronaut.
via Wikipedia: Kayla Barron · see source
Kayla Jane Barron, born Sax on September 19, 1987, is an American engineer, submarine warfare officer, and NASA astronaut. Chosen for NASA Astronaut Group 22 in June 2017, she became a fully qualified astronaut in 2020. Her debut spaceflight was SpaceX Crew-3, which launched to the International Space Station on November 10, 2021, as part of Expeditions 66 and 67. Prior to NASA, she worked as a submarine warfare officer and served as Flag Aide to the Naval Academy Superintendent.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 19 September 1987
- Birthplace
- Pocatello, Idaho, U.S.
- Spouse
- Tom Barron
- Education
- United States Naval Academy (BS)
- Peterhouse
- Cambridge (MPhil)
- Rank
- Commander, U.S. Navy
- Time
- 176 days
- 2 hours
- 39 minutes
- Selection
- NASA Group 22 (2017)
- Missions
- SpaceX Crew-3 (Expedition 66/67)
Facts from the source article.
Early life and education
Kayla Barron, originally Kayla Jane Sax, was born on September 19, 1987, in Pocatello, Idaho, to Lauri and Scott Sax. She grew up in Richland, Washington, and finished high school there in 2006. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 2010, where she also ran on the cross country and track teams. A Gates Cambridge Scholarship took her to Peterhouse at the University of Cambridge, where she completed a master’s degree in nuclear engineering in 2011. Her research focused on modeling the fuel cycle for a thorium-fueled, accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear reactor, driven by her interest in tackling human-caused climate change.
Military career
After obtaining her master's degree, Barron was part of the first group of women to become submarine warfare officers. She attended the Navy's nuclear power and submarine officer training program and was assigned to the Ohio-class submarine USS Maine. While serving on the USS Maine, she completed three patrols as a division officer. Following her submarine assignment, she served as Flag Aide to the Superintendent at the Naval Academy until her selection as an astronaut.
NASA career
In June 2017, Barron was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 22 and began her two-year training. She was the fifth female Naval Academy graduate selected as an astronaut candidate. She trained for the SpaceX Crew-3 mission, during which she worked aboard the International Space Station as a mission specialist. She launched on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endurance on November 10, 2021, and served as part of the Expedition 67 long duration mission to the ISS. Crew-3 landed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 6, 2022, after 176 days in space.
Personal life
Barron is married to Tom Barron, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer.
Amateur radio
Barron received a Technician Class amateur radio license from the FCC on September 21, 2020. Her call sign is KI5LAL.
Honors
Barron was a Trident Scholar and Distinguished Graduate at the Naval Academy, and a Gates Cambridge Scholar at Cambridge.
More in Crew Members of the International Space Station
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced