NASA astronaut from Long Island set to make 1st trip to space
BALDWIN, Long Island (WABC) -- NASA and the European Space Agency recently selected two astronauts to launch on NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station, and one of them is from Long Island.
Jasmin Moghbeli is from Baldwin, and this will be her first space flight.
Moghbeli became a NASA astronaut in 2017 after earning a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from MIT and a Master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
As an AH-1W Super Cobra pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, she has flown more than 150 missions, accruing 2,000 hours of flight time in more than 25 different aircraft.
She also graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. At the time of her selection as an astronaut, Moghbeli was testing H-1 helicopters and serving as the quality assurance and avionics officer for VMX-1.
"I really wanted to go to the International Space Station," she said. "I think it's incredible that we have a lab orbiting around the earth, and I was extremely excited and ran downstairs and told my husband."
Her mission will keep her in space for six months, and she will be able to video chat with her twin girls once a week.
Moghbeli will spend more than a year training.
"It does come with costs of being away from them during training and missions," she said. "But I hope they watch us and learn it's important to go after things you're really passionate about, and they do the same thing."
Moghbeli has been an inspiration and a role model for her girls and for kids everywhere, including in her hometown, where students have followed her successes.
"For the people in Baldwin, please spot the station," she said. "I'll be waving."
She dreams of going to to the moon, a goal that's looks increasingly within her reach.
She will be joined by ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who will be making his second trip to the space station.
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