Lieutenant Commander Jonny Kim has a resume that would make Asian parents swell with pride. At 40, he is already a decorated Navy SEAL, a Harvard-trained physician, and now, a NASA astronaut preparing for his next great adventure – space.
The Los Angeles native joined NASA in 2017 and will be launched into space aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft in March 2025. On his mission, accompanied by two Russian cosmonauts, he will spend nearly eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), conducting critical scientific investigations and preparing the station for future missions.
Mr Kim's journey to the stars is as impressive as his other accomplishments. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of San Diego before graduating from Harvard Medical School. He served as an emergency room intern at Massachusetts General Hospital.
But his medical career came after a decade of service as a Navy SEAL. He is also a dual-designated naval aviator and flight surgeon.
In NASA, Mr Kim has played several roles, including that of lead operations officer for Expedition 65 and the T-38 operations liaison, within the organisation. Now, he is set to take on his most challenging role yet – living and working in space.
Mr Kim's mission comes when NASA is grappling with unforeseen challenges. Two other astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, remain stranded on the ISS due to malfunctions in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
The issues, caused by helium leaks that were more extensive than previously believed, have forced NASA to delay their return to Earth until a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule can bring them home in February next year.
