Center test pilot selected for NASA’s 2025 astronaut candidate class

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (Jan. 7, 2026) – Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joseph "Ben" Bailey’s flight path as an Army aviator has expanded – 250 miles straight up.

Bailey made history as the first member of the Army’s Warrant Officer Corps to be selected as a NASA astronaut candidate. Bailey was one of only 10 people selected for NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Group 24, out of a pool of about 8,000 initial applicants. He received the news while serving as a test pilot at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.

Although it was a dream that he had long planned and worked toward, Bailey said it still did not become real until he spoke to the selection board.

“I was doing my best to prepare both my family and me for the potential of joining NASA throughout the application process, but receiving the call was still a huge surprise,” Bailey said.

Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, Bailey's career began with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia. After graduation, he went to work as a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy, where he contributed to construction projects across the South Pacific islands. He then spent four years as a nuclear engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding, overseeing the construction of nuclear power plants for aircraft carriers.

But the desire to fly was ever-present and with the age window for military aviation narrowing, Bailey left the shipyard and explored his options with the various military branches.

“I spoke to each branch and while I felt any of them would have been fulfilling, an Army warrant officer enlightened me to the Army’s prowess in rotary wing aircraft, helicopter mission sets and unique opportunities within the warrant officer corps to develop my skills as a career subject matter expert,” Bailey said.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and a two-year stint at the Redstone Test Center, Bailey was assigned to DEVCOM AvMC’s Ft. Eustis, Virginia, location, home to the Center’s test pilots. There he was instrumental in the planning, execution, and reporting of various test programs on the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47F Chinook, and C-12.

“During his short time here, Ben quickly established himself as a standout Soldier and aviator through his leadership and technical expertise, even among DEVCOM AvMC’s elite cohort of experimental test pilots,” said Col. Justin Highley, commander of the Center’s Systems Integration & Demonstration operation at Ft. Eustis. “He is the perfect choice to represent the Army at NASA and a testament to the exceptional skill and character that defines today’s Army aviator.”

But Bailey had never let go of an idea that sparked in the halls of test pilot school, where portraits of astronaut alumni lined the walls.

“I’ve always tried to set ambitious but achievable goals, and I had never considered this position as achievable for most of my career,” he said. “Despite adjusting my goals and applying for this position, it still wasn’t until well into the application and selection process that I realized I was more than simply qualified.”

The Army Astronaut Detachment is assigned to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and while Bailey is the first Army warrant officer selected as a NASA astronaut candidate, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Thomas Hennan was the first in space -- serving as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Atlantis during STS-44 in 1991.

Bailey is now in two years of intensive training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, covering a wide range of disciplines including how to operate the International Space Station’s life support systems, perform spacewalks and conduct scientific experiments in a microgravity environment. He will also learn the Russian language, enhancing operational communication with their Russian Space Agency cosmonaut partners for the ISS program.

Bailey said that while his specific flying skills were important, it is his leadership experience in building strong cohesive Army aircraft teams to accomplish a set mission that was directly applicable within the spaceflight community. And while that knowledge worked specifically for him, NASA is always looking for driven individuals with a passion for what they do.

“There is no single correct path to becoming an astronaut, and I hope to spread that message to other warrant officers. Everyone here at NASA has a different background and set of experiences. They were each selected for their work ethic and expertise in a field they enjoyed, just as much as they were selected for their team-focused mindset.

“I encourage other warrant officers to consider the strengths they’ve sharpened in their careers. Not just as technical experts but as leaders in their communities where they draw on quiet professionalism to balance leadership and followership.”