Nichole Ayers
Nichole Rhea Ayers is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force and NASA astronaut. She is currently a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Education
Nichole Ayers graduated from Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, Colorado. Afterward, she attended the United States Air Force Academy, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in Russian in 2011. She earned a master's degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in 2013.Career
In 2014, Ayers completed flight training and flew the T-38 for an adversary squadron at Langley Air Force Base. She later became a flight instructor, providing adversary training to F-22 Raptor units based at Langley.In 2018, Ayers completed training for the F-22, serving as a flight instructor for the F-22. Ayers has logged over 200 flight hours during Operation Inherent Resolve.
At the time of her selection as an Astronaut Candidate, Ayers was the assistant director of operations of the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base.
On 6 December 2021, Nichole Ayers was revealed to be one of ten candidates selected as part of the NASA Astronaut Group 23.
In August 2024, Ayers received her first spaceflight assignment. On 14 March 2025, she launched to the International Space Station as the pilot of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission. She remained aboard the station for six months as part of the crew of Expedition 72 and 73. Crew-10 was scheduled to return to Earth in July 2025, ultimately returning on August 9, 2025.
In April 2025, Ayers was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in a surprise ceremony while aboard the International Space Station.