Old Astronauts4Hire Website

Dr. Cosan Unuvar has always been genuinely interested in and curious about aerospace as well as science and wanted to be an astronaut. He strongly believes that humans need to explore the universe, which will lead to endless discoveries and advanced technologies, with a wide spectrum of positive impact on human life and beyond. Cosan holds a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, with honor, from Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey. He came to the US with a student exchange (study abroad) program and started his graduate studies afterwards. Cosan completed his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering at University of California, Davis (UCD) in 2006. His dissertation project was about the Effects of Gravity and Electric Current in Combustion Synthesis. Cosan led a team of professors, students, industry professionals, and government agency representatives in a joint effort in two successful reduced gravity flight campaigns (KC-135) at the NA

Christopher Altman is a scientist, diplomat and aspiring astronaut working to apply tomorrow’s technologies to today’s global challenges. His research focus is to apply advanced technologies based on the principles of quantum coherence and entanglement to dramatically accelerate scientific progress over the 21st Century. The nascent field of commercial spaceflight and the unique conditions afforded by space and microgravity environments offer exciting new opportunities for innovative quantum technology experiments . At the outset of his scientific career, Christopher was recruited to multidisciplinary deep future institute Starlab , which focused on advanced research that offers significant long-term potential impact for humanity. Projects actively pursued onsite included neuroscience, robotics, time travel, stem cell research, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, biophysics, materials science, genetics, protein folding, and nanoelectronics (Guinness Book of World Records, Disc

Dr. Mindy Howard is an American who obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Industrial Engineering in the United States ( SUNY Buffalo and University of Massachusetts at Amherst ) and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the Technical University Eindhoven in The Netherlands. She has made The Netherlands her home since 1990 and also obtained Dutch citizenship. She began her career at the Royal Dutch Shell Group of companies, in The Hague in 1994, and has held several technical and leadership roles in the company. In her latest role in the company, she was responsible for creating strategy and leading implementation globally across four main specialist areas: Sustainable Development, Social Performance, environment, and C0 2 management within the Gas and Power Division. More recently, she has created the first space training, to psychologically prepare commercial astronauts for their space flights, called Inner Space Training . Mindy is the Founding Director and Lead Tr

Jon-Erik Dahlin has a lifelong interest in space science and human space flight. As a child he was fascinated by the planets and the technological advances in space and as a student in engineering physics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, he took courses in astronomy, space physics and astrophysics. In 2008 he was interviewed in the European Space Agency ’s astronaut selection campaign, having made it within the top 2% of applicants. Professionally, Jon-Erik has experience from a mix of academic research, education, research administration and entrepreneurship. His research field as a Ph.D. student at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, was fusion plasma physics and his thesis was based on numerical simulations of turbulence control in a fusion reactor. After receiving his Ph.D. degree, Jon-Erik worked as a program manager at the Swedish Energy Agency , responsible for assessing and initiating research projects and programs, mainly within

Dr. Jason Reimuller has aspired to explore the frontier of space since his earliest recollections, though his motivations now are driven by a desire to facilitate ways to better understand our own world, foster international cooperation, help mature technology that would lead to a more sustainable coexistence with our environment, and contribute towards a foundation that will assure humanities eventual long-term survival. Jason comes from a diverse background blending scientific research and analysis, engineering, and the operations of aerospace platforms. Jason is an experienced system engineer and project manager and the founder of  Integrated Spaceflight Services , a company established from prior experience he had gained while conducting various analyses for NASA’s Constellation Program . Specifically, these analyses involved abort scenario and launch availability analyses, rescue and recovery trade studies, and contingency crew egress testing. In this capacity, he has worked fr

Ben Corbin has always had a passion for space exploration. Even as a child, building rockets and learning about the cosmos were always more interesting for him than anything else. Ben graduated from the University of Central Florida ( UCF ) in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering with minors in Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy. At UCF, he worked in both the Gas Dynamics Laboratory and the Department of Astronomy as a research assistant. Ben was also one of the youngest-ever participants at the International Space University ’s 2007 Space Studies Program . Currently, Ben is Ph.D. student in the Aeronautics and Astronautics program at MIT , where he recently completed dual Masters degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Planetary Science . His master's thesis work was on hydrogen Lyman-alpha measurements in the atmospheres of Venus and Jupiter. He is serving as the payload specialist for Project VeSpR, a sounding rocket experiment that will launch an ultraviole

Alli Taylor is a satellite systems engineer for Apogee Integration in the Washington DC metro area. Alli performs satellite systems integration work, analyzing system performance and coordinating operational improvement initiatives. While working full time, Alli attained her Master of Science degree in Space Studies from the  University of North Dakota  (2012). Alli also completed the NASTAR suborbital scientist course, which included physiology, hypobaric and centrifuge training, in July 2011. Prior to her current work, Alli gained experience with  Lockheed Martin  in Constellation planning and collision avoidance analysis of satellite systems. Alli also gained valuable experience in the private space industry at  Bigelow Aerospace  in Las Vegas, NV as a systems engineer and satellite controller. Alli spent over two years developing a variety of payloads for the Genesis 1 prototype inflatable module as well as leading mission control operations for both Genesis 1 and 2 vehicles. Duri

Dr. Erik Seedhouse is an aerospace scientist whose ambition has always been to work as an astronaut. After completing his first degree in Sports Science at Northumbria University the author joined the legendary 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment , the world’s most elite airborne regiment. During his time in the 'Para's' Erik spent six months in Belize, where he was trained in the art of jungle warfare and conducted several border patrols along the Belize-Guatemala border. Later, he spent several months learning the intricacies of desert warfare on the Akamas Range in Cyprus. He made more than thirty jumps from a Hercules C130 aircraft, performed more than two hundred abseils from a helicopter and fired more light anti-tank weapons than he cares to remember! Upon returning to the comparatively mundane world of academia, the author embarked upon a master's degree in Medical Science at Sheffield University . He supported his master's degree studies by winning priz

Kristine Ferrone is a Project Engineer with The Aerospace Corporation in Houston, TX. She leads The Aerospace Corporation's business development efforts at NASA Johnson Space Center and NASA Glenn Research Center. She is also the Primary Investigator on a multi-year Internal Research & Development project to expand Aerospace's Concept Design Center ( CDC ) to include the study of human-rated vehicles. In her prior role with The Aerospace Corporation, Kristine was an Engineering Specialist within the CDC, where she performed integrative spacecraft systems engineering and mission assurance for several government agencies including NASA and the Department of Defense. Prior to working at The Aerospace Corporation, Kristine was a flight controller for the International Space Station ( ISS ) at NASA Johnson Space Center supporting mission planning and timeline development for crew and ground activities. She was certified in three console positions integrating the ISS mission

James (Jim) Crowell is the Chief Financial Officer and a Director of the Board for Astronauts for Hire, Inc.  He is currently an undergraduate student at Arizona State University , working toward his BS in Earth and Space Exploration with a Concentration in Exploration Systems Design. He is the founder and president of the ASU chapter of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space ( SEDS-ASU ). He has worked with Dr. Phil Christensen, using the Mars Odyssey thermal emission imaging system ( THEMIS ), photographing and mapping areas of the Martian surface. He has also been involved in planning phases, with Dr. Matt Fouch and Dr. Kip Hodges, of setting up a network of seismometers across the lunar surface to detect subsurface structure of Earth’s Moon.  Jim is currently employed at Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera ( LROC ), working with Dr. Mark Robinson, analyzing images from the lunar surface in order to prepare for mankind’s return to the Moon.  He is also a NASA Sp

Joseph Palaia is an entrepreneur, engineer and technologist whose personal mission is to create the first permanent settlement on Mars and pursue development in the inner solar system. A resident of Colorado, he is currently Business Development Manager for Pioneer Astronautics . Pioneer develops cutting edge space technologies for NASA and the DOD, with special focus on space in situ resource utilization (ISRU). In 2009, Joe served as executive officer and chief engineer for a one-month simulated Mars mission at the Mars Society's  Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station  on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic, where he became the first person in history to launch and operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) while wearing a simulated spacesuit. While there, he also deployed a prototype lunar rover for Team Omega Envoy. Joe returned to the station in 2013 as Commander of the Mars Society’s Mars Arctic 365 Phase 1 refit mission, and he remains the FMARS Program Director for the Mar

Amnon after successfully completing the NASTAR Suborbital Scientist course Amnon Govrin  is a software industry veteran and a space enthusiast. He writes a blog called Spacepirations ( http://www.spacepirations.com/ ) about space topics from a personal perspective and has also been published on Echoes of Apollo ( http://www.echoesofapollo.com/ ). He is married and father of three sons, an amateur photographer and violinist. Amnon moved from Israel to Boulder CO in 2002 and has lived in Bellevue WA since 2011. Amnon has a  B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technion   university in Haifa, Israel. He currently works at Microsoft as a Senior Program Manager on  OneDrive . Amnon has operational experience derived from his Israeli Defense Force service. As a test and experimentation engineer, Amnon conducted terminal ballistics experiments, where crew safety and following check-lists are key. Amnon invented and improved experimentation methodologies and received international recognit

EVA on Devon Island Brian Shiro's lifelong ambition is to explore space while improving life on Earth. He has fifteen years experience leading and participating in ten field expeditions to remote locations around the globe, including Antarctica, Alaska, Canada, and various parts of the tropical Pacific. In 2009 and 2010, Shiro served as crew Geophysicist on a month-long simulated Mars mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island, Canada and as Commander on a two-week mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah. His planetary analog experience also includes the 2012 NASA RESOLVE rover field campaign in Hawaii, and he currently serves as Mission Support Manager for the NASA HI-SEAS Mars analog mission in Hawaii. He was a Highly Qualified NASA astronaut applicant in 2008 and 2012, placing him within the top 10% of applicants. In 2010, he co-founded the nonprofit organization Astronauts for Hire (A4H) to build the next generation co