Little Elm's Rebecca Lawler Joins NASA's 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class

Rebecca Lawler, a native of Little Elm, Texas, has been selected as one of ten individuals nationwide to join NASA's 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class.

 

At 38, Lawler brings a wealth of experience to the program.

 

She has logged over 2,800 flight hours across more than 45 different aircraft.

 

Her impressive career includes serving as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, where she piloted the P-3C Orion and accumulated over 300 hours of combat flight time during two deployments with the U.S. Sixth Fleet.

 

Lawler is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

 

She furthered her education with master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the National Test Pilot School.

 

Her diverse experience also includes roles as a hurricane hunter with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and as a test pilot for United Airlines.

 

Reflecting on her selection, Lawler expressed her excitement and gratitude.

 

“It's such an honor to be representing my home state and where I came from,” she said.

 

“We're going further than ever, and we're doing it with the people of the great state of Texas.”

 

Lawler's journey from Little Elm High School to the forefront of space exploration has been met with immense pride from her hometown.

 

Little Elm ISD highlighted her achievement, noting that her selection demonstrates how far Lobo graduates can go when they set their sights on the stars.

 

Over the next two years, Lawler and her fellow candidates will undergo intensive training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

 

The program includes instruction in robotics, space medicine, geology, simulated spacewalks, foreign language, land and water survival, and high-performance jet flight.

 

Upon completion, they will join NASA's active astronaut corps, supporting missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.

 

Lawler's selection is a testament to her dedication and the support of the Little Elm and surrounding communities.

 

As she ventures on this new chapter, she carries with her the hopes and pride of her hometown, ready to contribute to humanity's exploration of the cosmos.