Kayla Barron was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. She reported for duty in August 2017. The Washington native graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering. A Gates Cambridge Scholar, Barron earned a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge. As a Submarine Warfare Officer, Barron was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community. She is currently serving as mission specialist of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the ISS, which launched on November 10, 2021.
Born in Pocatello, Idaho, Barron considers Richland, Washington, to be her hometown. She is married to Tom Barron of New York, New York. Her parents, Scott and Lauri Sax, live in Richland, Washington. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, running, and reading. Education: Graduated from Richland High School in Richland, Washington, in 2006. Earned a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 2010. Earned a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, in 2011, as a 2010 Gates Cambridge Scholar.