NASA Announces International Astronaut Lineup for SpaceX Crew-14 Mission

NASA has announced the four-member international crew scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Crew-14 mission no earlier than spring 2027. The long-duration science expedition will include astronauts from NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), alongside a cosmonaut from Roscosmos.

Under NASA's Low Earth Orbit Program, Crew-14 marks the 14th commercial crew rotation mission conducted with SpaceX. NASA astronauts Kayla Barron and Chris Birch will serve as the spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, while JAXA astronaut Makoto Suwa and Roscosmos cosmonaut Arutyun Kiviryan will serve as mission specialists. Following docking, the team will integrate into the space station's Expedition 75/76 crew to perform technology demonstrations and scientific investigations.

The flight will be the second space mission for Commander Kayla Barron, who previously spent 177 days in orbit during the SpaceX Crew-3 mission across Expeditions 66 and 67. Barron, a U.S. Navy commander selected as an astronaut in 2017, holds degrees in systems engineering and nuclear engineering and has conducted two spacewalks.

The other three crew members will be undertaking their first spaceflights:

• Chris Birch (NASA): Selected as an astronaut in 2021, Birch holds a doctorate in biological engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and previously worked as a bioengineering educator, capsule communicator, and crew lead for Expedition 72.
• Makoto Suwa (JAXA): Selected as an astronaut candidate in 2023 and certified in 2024, Suwa holds a doctorate in geosciences from Princeton University and previously worked with the World Bank Group and the United Nations World Meteorological Organization.
• Arutyun Kiviryan (Roscosmos): Selected for the cosmonaut corps in 2021, Kiviryan graduated as a rocket science engineer from Baltic State Technical University and has served as a test cosmonaut since 2023.

According to NASA, the scientific research and operations conducted during the mission are intended to benefit life on Earth while aiding preparation for future long-duration human spaceflight missions to the Moon and Mars under the Artemis program.

Source