Air Force veteran pilots SpaceX mission to ISS

Air Force Maj. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers is currently on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2011 and is representing the Pikes Peak region in space. On Friday, she piloted a SpaceX capsule that launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The capsule successfully docked with the ISS on Sunday. Ayers' mission is part of a crew swap with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been at the ISS for nine months. They are set to leave the station on Wednesday, along with NASA Astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. This spaceflight marks Ayers' first time in space. In her NASA biography, Ayers is noted for her extensive background. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Air Force Academy and a Master’s in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University. She also competed in Division I volleyball and represented the U.S. Armed Forces volleyball team internationally. Ayers has a strong military background as an instructor pilot and has flown combat missions in Iraq and Syria. She has over 1,400 flight hours and has received multiple awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Medal. She was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in January 2022. Throughout her studies, she was recognized for her focus and dedication. Kurt Herzinger, a math professor at the Air Force Academy, praised her work ethic and willingness to help her classmates. Ayers always wanted to be an astronaut and was inspired by the Thunderbirds flight demonstrations over the Academy. Ayers and her fellow astronauts will spend six months on the ISS, conducting research and technology demonstrations. She emphasized the importance of working together and maintaining kindness during the mission. The Air Force Academy Association notes that 39 of its graduates have become astronauts, showcasing the academy's success in developing future leaders.