After nearly two decades immersed in NASA’s lunar and Martian exploration, where she contributed to rover mission guidance and shaped scientific plans for the Artemis program, Lauren Edgar is making a significant career shift. The veteran scientist is now exchanging her role behind the console for an opportunity to travel to space herself.

NASA officially unveiled its 2025 astronaut class this week at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, naming Edgar among the ten new candidates. This diverse cohort of pilots, engineers, doctors, and scientists has been selected for potential future missions, including voyages to the Moon and Mars. Edgar reportedly expressed significant surprise upon learning of her selection to the prestigious group.

Speaking to Space.com on September 22, the day of the announcement, Edgar conveyed her reaction as a mixture of profound excitement and utter shock. She revealed that the first to learn of her significant news was her dog, Coco. Edgar described her inability to remain still during a phone conversation, pacing restlessly around her home with Coco in close pursuit, convinced the animal sensed that “something was up.”

Edgar wasted no time following Coco, promptly contacting her husband and family to share in a celebration.

Her upbringing in the Pacific Northwest instilled in her a profound love for the outdoors and a deep appreciation for the region’s rich aviation history. These foundational influences ultimately propelled her toward interests in geology and exploration. Separately, Edgar’s fascination with space was ignited in the second grade after witnessing a space shuttle launch.

Witnessing individuals depart Earth on a vessel served as a pivotal moment for Edgar, sparking within him a profound inquiry into the broader mysteries of the cosmos.

Edgar reflected on a poignant parallel after her second-grade niece streamed NASA’s recent online announcement: her own lifelong fascination with space began at a similar age. Inspired by this symmetry, Edgar passionately urged all aspiring astronauts to pursue their dreams with unwavering dedication.

Edgar delivered a resolute message of perseverance, stating unequivocally that “nothing is impossible.” He further highlighted the indispensable role of broad collaboration, asserting that progress in human exploration is fundamentally driven by the collective contributions of individuals hailing from diverse backgrounds.

Edgar’s trajectory toward becoming a NASA astronaut candidate (ASCAN) was, fittingly, a challenging one, even “rocky” in a literal sense. Before her selection, she held the position of deputy principal investigator for the Artemis 3 geology team, where she played a crucial role in crafting the scientific objectives for the agency’s upcoming human mission to the lunar surface.

For 17 years prior to her contributions to the Artemis program, her work primarily involved supporting the Mars Curiosity and Mars Exploration Rover missions. During this period, she also held the key responsibility of providing geology training for NASA engineers, various mission teams, and astronauts.

Despite a change in her mission role, Edgar maintains it does not signify a fundamental shift in objectives. She asserts her current position merely serves as a different avenue to achieve the same goals she pursued during prior rover missions and as part of the Artemis 3 science team.

Having previously tasked astronauts with conducting scientific experiments, deploying instruments, and making critical observations, Edgar now contemplates the profound shift to potentially executing these activities personally. He remarked on the considerable cognitive load involved in operating within challenging, remote environments while rigorously pursuing mission objectives. Edgar conveyed his eagerness to embrace this new endeavor.

NASA’s Artemis missions are targeting landing sites near the Moon’s south pole. The space agency aims for these expeditions to establish a sustainable and continuous human presence on the lunar surface.

The lunar south pole stands out as a critical objective, according to Edgar, who asserts its importance for both advancing planetary science and enabling humanity’s deeper ventures into space. She underscored its dual significance: as a prime location for scientific exploration and as a strategic base for a sustained human presence, providing a crucial testing ground for technologies vital to future long-duration missions to Mars.

NASA envisions its Artemis missions to the lunar surface as essential stepping stones, providing a crucial platform to perfect the technologies and operational techniques required for sustained human expeditions, ultimately setting the trajectory for future journeys to Mars. This ambitious endeavor, according to Edgar, represents a long-held personal dream.

Members of Edgar’s rover teams routinely engage in a unique visualization exercise, mentally placing themselves on the Martian surface. This immersive approach helps them better understand the rovers’ perspective, prompting them to constantly consider, “How would I connect this landscape in my mind?” Edgar herself has voiced a keen interest in traveling to Mars, affirming she “would welcome the opportunity if it ever came.”

NASA’s incoming class of 2025 astronaut candidates will commence a demanding two-year training program. Primarily conducted at the Johnson Space Center and other agency facilities, this intensive regimen is designed to certify them as flight-ready astronauts. Their comprehensive curriculum will span a diverse range of proficiencies, including learning to pilot various spacecraft, conducting simulated spacewalks, mastering foreign languages, and undertaking advanced science education.

NASA places a strong emphasis on comprehensive cross-training for its astronauts, reflecting the diverse expertise within the corps. This extensive familiarization process is crucial to ensure every individual is fully capable of supporting their fellow crew members and achieving mission objectives, especially when operating in remote and potentially high-stress environments. As Edgar explained, the imperative is for astronauts to “be able to take care of each other and take care of the mission objectives” when working together in isolation.

She articulated her keen interest in the geology training slated for the group, adding that it would incorporate instruction across diverse subspecialties.

The composition of the class directly reflects the program’s critical needs, according to Edgar. He underscored the necessity for exceptional pilots capable of navigating highly challenging environments, medical professionals vital for ensuring safety during longer duration missions, and a robust presence of both engineers and scientists. This diverse skill set, he noted, is clearly evident within the current cohort. Edgar conveyed his enjoyment in the collaborative learning environment and expressed keen anticipation for future developments.