Quick Facts
Biography
Jasmin Moghbeli is an Iranian-American NASA astronaut candidate of the class of 2017.
Jasmin Moghbeli has been selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. She will report for duty in August 2017. The New York native earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering with Information Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. She is also a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and has accumulated more than 1,600 hours of flight time and 150 combat missions.
Early life and education
Jasmin Moghbeli was born in Bad Nauheim, Germany, but considers Baldwin, New York, her hometown. Her parents are of Iranian origin, and fled Iran following the 1979 Iranian revolution. Her mother, Fereshteh and her father, Kamy Moghbeli, live in Delray Beach, Florida. Her older brother, Kaveh Moghbeli, currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While in high school, Moghbeli attended Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. Moghbeli graduated from Baldwin Senior High School in Baldwin, New York. Following this, Moghbeli earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering with Information Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Moghbeli played college basketball for the MIT Engineers.
Moghbeli then earned a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
Military Career
Moghbeli graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. Moghbeli flew AH-1 SuperCobra gunships in Afghanistan, where she earned the nickname "Jaws". At the time of her selection in June 2017, Moghbeli was testing H-1 helicopters and serving as the quality assurance and avionics officer for Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 of the U.S. Marine Corps in Yuma, Arizona.
NASA Experience
Moghbeli will report for duty in August 2017 to begin two years of training as an Astronaut Candidate. Upon completion, she will be assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office while she awaits a flight assignment.
Awards and Honours
Awarded four Air Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and various unit commendations. Awarded the US Navy Test Pilot School Class 144 Outstanding Developmental Phase II Award and the Commander Willie McCool Outstanding Student Award as the Class 144 Honor Graduate.