A Duke alumna prepares to make history as one of the first women to possibly set foot on the moon and soon Mars.
Anna Menon, 39, is one of ten people selected as NASA’s new astronaut candidates. The Houston native holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University and previously worked in NASA’s Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson.
According to Sean Duffy, acting NASA Administrator, more than 8,000 people applied for the 2025 astronaut class, including “scientists, pilots, engineers, dreamers from every corner of this nation.”
“The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space,” Duffy said. “Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.”
Officials said the 24th astronaut class reported for duty at NASA Johnson to begin their training in mid-September. The class will train for nearly two years before joining NASA’s active astronaut corps and becoming eligible for flight assignments supporting future science and exploration missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars.
Officials said their operational expertise, scientific knowledge, and technical backgrounds are important to advance NASA’s goals of deep space exploration and sustaining a long-term human presence beyond Earth.
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