Nichole Ayers is a 32-year-old major in the U.S. Air Force. A native of Colorado, she has a master's degree in computational and applied mathematics. One of the few women currently flying the F-22 fighter jet, Ayers led the first ever all-woman formation of the aircraft in combat.

Marcos Berríos, 37, is a major in the U.S. Air Force. After growing up in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, he served as a reservist in the Air National Guard. A test pilot who holds a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics, he has logged more than 110 combat missions and 1,300 hours of flight time in more than 21 different aircraft.

Christina Birch, 35, grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, and has a doctorate in biological engineering. A university professor who taught scientific writing and communication at the California Institute of Technology, she also became a decorated track cyclist on the U.S. National Team.

Deniz Burnham is a 36-year-old lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. She calls Wasilla, Alaska, home. A former intern at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, Burnham serves in the U.S. Navy Reserves. She earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering and managing onsite drilling projects throughout North America, including in Alaska, Canada, and Texas.

Luke Delaney, 42, is a retired major in the U.S. Marine Corps. He grew up in Debary, Florida and holds a master's degree in aerospace engineering. A distinguished naval aviator and test pilot, Delaney most recently worked as a research pilot at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, where he supported airborne science missions.

Andre Douglas, 35, is a Virginia native who holds a doctorate in systems engineering. Douglas served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a naval architect, salvage engineer, damage control assistant and officer of the deck. He most recently was a senior staff member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, working on maritime robotics, planetary defense and space exploration missions for NASA.

Jack Hathaway is a 39-year-old commander in the U.S. Navy. A native of Connecticut, he earned bachelors' degrees in physics and history at the U.S. Naval War College. A distinguished naval aviator, Hathaway most recently was assigned as the prospective executive officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 81. He has more than 2,500 flight hours in 30 types of aircraft, more than 500 carrier arrested landings and flew 39 combat missions.

Anil Menon, is a 45-year-old lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As SpaceX's first flight surgeon, he helped to launch the company's first humans to space during NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission and built a medical organization to support the human system during future missions. Prior to that, he served NASA as the crew flight surgeon for various expeditions taking astronauts to the International Space Station.

Christopher Williams, 38, grew up in Potomac, Maryland. He graduated with a doctorate in physics and is a board-certified medical physicist. He most recently worked as a medical physicist in the Radiation Oncology Department at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Williams' research focused on developing image guidance techniques for cancer treatments.

Jessica Wittner, 38, is a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. She is a native of California with a distinguished career serving on active duty as a naval aviator and test pilot. She holds a Master of Science in aerospace engineering and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. She flew F/A-18 fighter jets and worked as a test pilot and project officer with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 in China Lake, California.