Pioneering Iranian Astronaut, Jasmin Moqbeli
She made history as the first person of Iranian descent to command a mission to the International Space Station
Jasmin Moqbeli, an Iranian-American astronaut
It may be hard to believe, but out of over 7 billion people on Earth from diverse countries and backgrounds, a group of only 18 individuals was selected by NASA to travel to the International Space Station. Among this select group is a brilliant Iranian woman. Yes, Ms. Moghabeli, another shining gem from the Iranian diaspora, has brought this great honor to the Iranian community, especially Iranian women. We should all be incredibly proud of her remarkable achievement.
These astronauts will help NASA get ready for the upcoming Artemis missions by creating new training programs, figuring out what kind of equipment they’ll need, and giving advice on the tech side of things.
Ms. Moqbeli, born on July 24, 1983, in Germany, was raised in New York. Her parents, architecture students, emigrated from Iran after the 1979 revolution. A graduate of MIT, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, she is a decorated pilot and major with over 2,000 flight hours in 25 different aircraft.
Notably, she was selected as one of NASA’s 12 principal investigators from a pool of 18,000 applicants in 2017.
My parents have always been a source of inspiration for me. Their courage in leaving everything they knew to immigrate and build a new life here has always been deeply moving.
