{"id":73730,"date":"2021-12-03T20:11:18","date_gmt":"2021-12-04T01:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-475757"},"modified":"2024-03-05T09:33:27","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T14:33:27","slug":"nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers","status":"publish","type":"people","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people\/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-bio-intro maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-bio-intro\">\n\t<div class=\"hds-bio-intro-container grid-row grid-container grid-container-block padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4 desktop:grid-col-3\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-bio-thumbnail width-10 tablet:width-card desktop:width-card-lg\">\n\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?w=640\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"Astronaut Candidate Nichole Ayers\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 53% 9%; object-position: 53% 9%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg 6103w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=240,300 240w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=768,960 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=819,1024 819w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=1229,1536 1229w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=1638,2048 1638w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=320,400 320w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=480,600 480w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=720,900 720w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=960,1200 960w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?resize=1600,2000 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-7 desktop:grid-col-9 grid-row margin-0 padding-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1 desktop:margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"display-60 display-block width-full\">NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p-lg padding-0 margin-0 color-carbon-60\">NASA Astronaut<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-18\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFollow Nichole\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-monochrome\"><li class=\"social-icon social-icon-twitter social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Astro_Ayers\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Follow Nichole on X.\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"1200\" height=\"1227\" viewBox=\"0 0 1200 1227\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M714.163 519.284L1160.89 0H1055.03L667.137 450.887L357.328 0H0L468.492 681.821L0 1226.37H105.866L515.491 750.218L842.672 1226.37H1200L714.137 519.284H714.163ZM569.165 687.828L521.697 619.934L144.011 79.6944H306.615L611.412 515.685L658.88 583.579L1055.08 1150.3H892.476L569.165 687.854V687.828Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"social-icon social-icon-instagram\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/astro_ayers\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Follow Nichole on Instagram.\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg enable-background=\"new 0 0 20 20\" height=\"512\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" width=\"512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><g><path d=\"m15 0h-10c-2.8 0-5 2.2-5 5v10c0 2.8 2.2 5 5 5h10c2.8 0 5-2.2 5-5v-10c0-2.8-2.2-5-5-5zm3 15c0 1.7-1.3 3-3 3h-10c-1.7 0-3-1.3-3-3v-10c0-1.7 1.3-3 3-3h10c1.7 0 3 1.3 3 3z\"\/><path d=\"m10 5c-2.8 0-5 2.2-5 5s2.2 5 5 5 5-2.2 5-5-2.2-5-5-5zm0 8c-1.7 0-3-1.3-3-3s1.3-3 3-3 3 1.3 3 3-1.3 3-3 3z\"\/><circle cx=\"15\" cy=\"5\" r=\"1\"\/><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Nichole \u201cVapor\u201d Ayers, Major, U.S. Air Force<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nichole Ayers was selected by NASA to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. She reported for duty in January 2022. The Colorado native graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2011 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in mathematics. She later earned a master\u2019s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston. As one of the few women to have flown the F-22 Raptor, Ayers led the first-ever all-woman F-22 formation in combat in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Personal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ayers and her twin sister, Cydnee, were born in San Diego, California, but she considers Colorado Springs and Divide, Colorado, home. Ayers and her husband, Justin, were married in New Zealand in early 2020 and enjoy sailing, camping, hiking, biking, and working on home projects together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Graduated Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, Colorado. Earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in mathematics with a minor in Russian from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Earned a master\u2019s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, where her studies focused on computational fluid dynamics, specifically modeling incompressible fluid flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ayers graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2011. There, she played Division I college volleyball all four years. Ayers also competed internationally on the USA Armed Forces Team while pursuing her master\u2019s degree in 2012. She graduated from Rice University in 2013, graduated pilot training in 2014, and began flying the T-38A in the adversary squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. She became an instructor pilot in the T-38, leading adversary missions that provided combat training for the F-22 Raptors at Langley AFB, Virginia. Ayers graduated from the F-22 Basic Course in 2018 and also became an instructor pilot in the F-22. She flew over 200 combat hours in Operation Inherent Resolve over Iraq and Syria. Ayers has over 1,400 total flight hours in the T-38A\/B\/C\/N and F-22 Raptor. At the time of her selection as a NASA astronaut candidate, she was the assistant director of operations in the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NASA Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ayers was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in December 2021 and reported for duty in January 2022 to complete two years of initial astronaut training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Awards\/Honors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, and various other unit and service awards. Named distinguished graduate and graduated with academic distinction from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Distinguished graduate from undergraduate pilot training. Four-time Mountain West Conference Academic All-Conference and Scholar Athlete Award winner in women\u2019s volleyball. The Air Force Academy Association of Graduates 2022 Young Alumni Excellence Award Winner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Organizations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates. Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association. US Air Force Language Enabled Airman Program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nichole \u201cVapor\u201d Ayers, Major, U.S. Air Force Summary Nichole Ayers was selected by NASA to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. She reported for duty in January 2022. The Colorado native graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2011 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in mathematics. She later earned a master\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":74538,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_people_facebook_url":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_people_twitter_url":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Astro_Ayers","nasa_hds_core_meta_people_instagram_url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/astro_ayers\/?hl=en","nasa_hds_core_meta_people_linkedin_url":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_people_title":"NASA Astronaut"},"categories":[2800,10937],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[4944,10472,3879],"coauthors":[10423],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people\/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people\/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg"},"articleSection":"Humans in Space","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rachael Whitefield"}],"creator":["Rachael Whitefield"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Humans in Space","Astronauts","Nichole Ayers"],"dateCreated":"2021-12-04T01:11:18Z","datePublished":"2021-12-04T01:11:18Z","dateModified":"2024-03-05T14:33:27Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people\/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"index\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2021-12-04T01:11:18Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Humans in Space\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Humans in Space,Astronauts,Nichole Ayers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Rachael Whitefield\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"featured_image":{"id":74538,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers.jpg","title":"astronaut_candidate_nichole_ayers","alt":"Astronaut Candidate Nichole Ayers","caption":"Astronaut Candidate Individual Portrait, Nichole Ayers - ASCAN Class of 2021.  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