BREAKING BARRIERS AND REACHING FOR THE STARS
Astronaut. Researcher. Mom. Public Figure. Author. Speaker.
Kellie Gerardi is an astronaut and bioastronautics researcher who serves as the Director of Human Spaceflight for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). Kellie served as a payload specialist on the Galactic 05 / IIAS-01 research mission in 2023, during which she operated three biomedical and thermodynamic fluids experiments in space. Kellie will lead the IIAS-02 research mission in 2026, and her second spaceflight will advance the knowledge gained from IIAS-01 and introduce novel biomedical research alongside her international IIAS crewmates. On Earth, Kellie has tested and matured technologies across more than 150 parabolas in reduced gravity research flight campaigns, including with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Kellie is a popular science communicator and the author of the acclaimed children’s picture book series Luna Muna, which has been read aloud from both the International Space Station and the First Lady’s Reading Nook at the White House. Kellie serves on the Defense Council for the Truman National Security Project and is a Fellow and former Executive Board Member of The Explorers Club, whose esteemed flag she carried on a crew rotation to the Mars Desert Research Station. Kellie lives in Jupiter, Florida with her husband and their daughter Delta V.
As the 90th woman in history to travel to space, she has made it her mission to democratize space exploration, empower women, and inspire the next generation. From operating groundbreaking biomedical experiments aboard Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 05 mission to raising her daughter, Delta V, with the belief that not even the sky is a limit, Kellie continues to push boundaries. In this exclusive interview, she shares her journey, her challenges, and the vision she has for the future of aerospace and humanity.
Tell us the parts of you that wouldn’t be so known from your online presence? Any hidden talents, quirks, or hobbies?
I tend to be an open book online and really value authenticity, especially since I didn’t have many visible role models in this industry growing up. But one thing people might not expect is that I’m actually a bit of an introvert and a homebody. Social media allows me to reach people from the comfort of my own home, which, honestly, is where I prefer to be! I share a lot of whirlwind travel, but I don’t always post the 3-5 business days it takes me to recover from it.
Also, I love DIY décor! My mom and I flipped furniture and remodeled parts of my house together. She’s truly my rock—I’ve just realized she’s been roped into all my hobbies, from hiking the Adirondacks with me to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro! There’s something special about creating spaces that feel uniquely ours, and that’s one of my favorite ways to decompress when I’m not traveling or working on space research.
Another lesser-known fact? I have an immense love for nature. The time I spent in the Adirondacks as a child shaped my appreciation for the outdoors, and I still seek out moments in nature to recharge. Hiking isn’t just exercise for me—it’s a way to connect with something bigger, to breathe in fresh air and let my mind wander freely. After the intensity of my work, those quiet moments in nature feel like an essential reset.
You paved a brand-new path to becoming a professional astronaut. Can you share how your career unfolded?
Where to begin! I grew up in Jupiter, Florida (very on brand, right?) and was lucky enough to have Space Shuttle launches as part of my childhood backdrop. It was an incredibly inspiring environment that I knew I wanted to be a part of, but I didn’t yet have a clear roadmap for how to turn my passion into a career.
I always knew I wanted to change the world, and as I got older, I looked for people and organizations that shared that mindset. My passion for space went beyond just wanting to fly myself—I wanted to open space for a new generation of scientists
My career took me through space policy, regulatory reform, reusable rocket technology, national security, and ultimately microgravity research. I spent years conducting parabolic flight research campaigns, but the goal was always to reach space. That became a reality in 2023, when I flew as a Payload Specialist on Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 05 research mission, operating biomedical and fluid experiments. My second science spaceflight is scheduled for 2026, leading an all-female research crew on Virgin Galactic’s Delta-class spacecraft.
The journey to space wasn’t linear, and it certainly wasn’t conventional. My work in the space industry took me through different sectors—government, private industry, academia—before I found my place at The International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). We had spent nearly a decade conducting parabolic flight research, but the ultimate goal was to bring our research into space, where microgravity conditions could be fully leveraged.
When I was selected to fly as a payload specialist on Galactic 05, it wasn’t just a milestone for me—it was a victory for the entire industry, proving that the research community can use space as a laboratory to benefit humanity. Now, as I prepare for my second mission, I’m eager to expand that impact.
What do you wish to see more of in the aerospace industry specifically for women and gender equality?
Fewer than one hundred women in history have ever flown to space, and it’s the honor of a lifetime to be one of them, but my own journey shows that the limiter has always been access and not aptitude. I set out to help blow open the door to commercial human spaceflight, and it’s incredible that I was ultimately able to walk through that door as an astronaut myself, but my real goal is to hold it open for everyone who will follow. That’s the real reward.
I believe space is humanity’s shared past and shared future, and I’ve always been motivated to help democratize access to space for the next generation—not only for researchers like myself but for civilians of all disciplines. I believe our next giant leap will require the talents of artists, engineers, and everyone in between.
For me, space has always represented the absolute best of humanity, and the hope that we can survive the present so that the next generations can live in the future. That future isn’t guaranteed, but I’m convinced it’s within our reach.
We’re still at the very, very beginning of humanity’s journey in space. We’ve taken our first small steps, and we need all hands on deck for our next giant leaps. I’m excited to see representation increase—by gender, by race, by nationality. To put it into perspective: when we talk about space exploration and space settlement, we’re really discussing the future of the human species.
One of my favorite quotes sums it up perfectly, “There are no passengers on SpaceShip Earth. We are all crew.” So my hope is that everyone finds their own way to contribute to that future.
Having Delta V has amplified your dreams rather than slowed you down. What made you take this approach?
Motherhood is such a huge part of my identity. I want to show women that you don’t have to choose between being a mom and chasing your wildest dreams.
The reality is, only a handful of mothers have ever flown to space. It’s surreal that I’m one of them, but it’s also a reminder that we have so much further to go. I still get criticism from people who believe a mother should stay home instead of going to space, which is shocking. I didn’t lose my identity with motherhood—it expanded. If anything, becoming Delta’s mom made my dreams bolder and my sense of purpose deeper.
This is why I share so much of my life publicly—because I know there are other women watching, wondering if they can do both. And the answer is yes, you absolutely can. Sometimes the scales tip in one direction more than the other, and that’s okay. Sometimes I’m in full work mode; other times I’m at home making slime with Delta. It’s all part of the same journey.
Kellie, you have accomplished more in your short life than people have in their entire existence. What allows you to stay motivated and keep working towards new goals? Do you have a bigger dream / mission on your heart you’d like to achieve?
I’ve always been incredibly mission-driven, and I never lost that childhood dream of wanting to make the world a better place one day. My own personal version of that mission is helping to democratize access to space, so that researchers can use space as a laboratory to benefit humanity while also trying my best to serve as an example of visible representation in this field.
I’ve seen firsthand how representation has the power to adjust the limiter on someone’s imagination, and I’ve seen the needle move within my own household. The most rewarding part of my journey has been experiencing it through the eyes of my daughter, Delta. To her, flying to space is just another thing moms do! She’s going to grow up knowing that not even the sky is a limit, and that in itself is a powerful paradigm shift.
It’s also been a poignant reminder of how much can change in a single generation. When my mom was born, human beings hadn’t even been to space. When she was growing up, women weren’t even eligible. Just one generation later, she watched her daughter reach the stars, and she’s watching her granddaughter take it for granted. That kind of generational progress excites me for Delta’s future, and I feel incredibly lucky to contribute to it in some small way.
If someone was to write your biography today, what are the top three things you’d like to be remembered for?
I’d love to write my own biography! But more than a biography, I’d love for it to be a practical guide—a blueprint for helping women tap into the self-confidence that allows them to make the bets on themselves that lead to their own dream lives.
If I had to narrow it down to three things, I’d want to be remembered as:
- A woman who relentlessly pursued her dreams
- Someone who fiercely loved her family
- A person who wasn’t afraid to take up space—literally and figuratively
When you face challenges that require mental aptitude, what is your process to reclaim your inner voice? Do you call in your intuition in these moments?
I’ve spent a lot of energy building a resilient mental framework for myself. When you have audacious goals, you have to be your own biggest champion. One of my personal rules is I never say never. My path to space quite literally didn’t exist as an option until I flew. That’s a lesson in reframing limitations—turning “it can’t be done” into “it just hasn’t been done yet.” You can pave paths out of brick walls.
For a long time, I thought my superpower was my ability to shout my dreams out into the universe and embrace failure publicly in the process—but I’ve realized that the real superpower is the ability to tune out any discouragement that comes back.
When you have big, bold dreams, you will encounter resistance, doubt, and criticism. It’s inevitable. The real challenge is learning how to metabolize that negativity into motivation. I often reflect on some of the earliest discouragement I received—if I had listened to those voices a decade ago, I wouldn’t be here today. I might have extinguished my own light before I even gave it a chance to shine.
I also think social media has helped toughen my skin. My golden rule? I refuse to take criticism from someone I wouldn’t look to for advice. That mindset has been invaluable when navigating the noise of online opinions. Also, I block people with really satisfying frequency!
What is next on the horizon for you? Any exciting new projects?
Right now, I’m in such an interesting season of life—it’s like an interlude. Professionally, I’m preparing for my second spaceflight assignment in 2026, where I’ll be leading an all-female research team on another science mission. It’s an exciting opportunity to build on the research from my first mission and work alongside an incredibly talented team of scientists.
Personally, I’ve been focused on attempting to grow my family. For the past seven years since my daughter was born, I’ve struggled with secondary infertility and recurrent losses. This past year, facing a narrow window of opportunity before my next spaceflight, my husband and I decided to pursue IVF. If I’m honest, it has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever faced—mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. After our egg retrieval, I was devastated to find out that we only had one single genetically healthy embryo to try and transfer. We are hoping that this will turn into a second baby when the timing aligns.
Tell us about the birth of the Best Selling Series LUNA MUNA and what inspired you to write this series? Will we see more series coming?
Luna Muna started as a bedtime story I told my daughter when she was a baby. Around that time, I noticed a market gap for space-themed books featuring girls as the main character. That’s when I decided to write a book series to fill that gap.
Luna Muna is a sparkly, future astronaut with a glittery space helmet—designed to show young girls that space, science, and sparkle can coexist beautifully. I always envisioned the book sitting alongside classics like Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious, and it feels surreal to see them displayed together in Barnes & Noble!
The reception has been beyond humbling—Luna Muna has been flown to space and read from the International Space Station and was also selected to be read from the White House in 2024 as part of the First Lady’s Reading Nook at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
One of my biggest joys? Seeing kids dressed up as Luna Muna for book character day at school—although my own daughter remains a die-hard Angelina Ballerina fan!
Your principles to live by when it comes to… family? Friends? Love? Business? Food? And life?
- On Family: Family is everything to me. I would describe myself as incredibly ambitious in my career, but I struggle to see the point of working so hard for a certain level of success if you can’t share it with the people you love. My life isn’t perfectly balanced every single day, but over time, the months and years always balance out.
- On Friends: I grew up with a lot of societal tropes that often framed strong women as being in competition with each other, as though success was a zero-sum game. That’s just not true. Instead, I take the approach that “all boats rise with the tide.” I truly believe in lifting up and celebrating the dreams and successes of those around you. I also try to remind people that competition happens at the bottom, but celebration happens at the top. If it’s lonely at the top, you’re doing it wrong!
- On Love: My husband doesn’t like the spotlight, but he deserves it. He is my true partner in life. For women who dream of both a family and a career, the most consequential career decision you will ever make is your choice of spouse. I once read someone describe their husband as “someone who wanted a wife and kids, but not someone who wanted to be a husband and father.” That distinction really stuck with me. A true partner—like the latter—is worth holding out for.
- On Business: I have to feel mission and purpose in all that I do. I’m lucky to have worked alongside so many mission-driven organizations and people throughout my career, and I still feel like I’m just getting started. I’m only 35, so I’m excited to see where the next few decades take me!
- On Food: I love celebrating the small things in life, and food is one of my favorite forms of celebration. Fun fact: Panera Bread’s Kitchen Sink Cookie has been my go-to for celebrating many personal and professional milestones!
- On Life: Life is so short—I don’t want to arrive at the end of mine with regrets on any of the above.
Your words to live by?
One of my favorite quotes is: “There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.”
Kellie Gerardi—a true pioneer, astronaut, and role model for the next generation. She proves that dreams are not just meant to be chased—they’re meant to be lived.
Photo Credits Samantha Farmer
