Jonny Kim | |
---|---|
Born | Jonathan Yong Kim 5 February 1984 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education |
|
Children | 3 |
Space career | |
NASA astronaut | |
Selection | NASA Group 22 (2017) |
Military career | |
Branch | United States Navy |
Years | 2002–present |
Rank | Lieutenant commander |
Unit | |
Conflicts | Iraq War |
Awards | Silver Star |
Jonathan Yong Kim (born 5 February 1984) is an American U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, former SEAL, flight surgeon, Naval aviator, physician, and NASA astronaut.
Born in Los Angeles, Kim enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the early 2000s before earning a Silver Star, Bronze Star with V device, and his commission. While a U.S. sailor, Kim also received his Bachelor of Arts in mathematics with distinction, his Doctor of Medicine, and an acceptance to NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017. He completed his astronaut training in 2020 and is scheduled serve on Expedition 72/73 to the International Space Station in March 2025.
Jonathan Yong Kim was born on 5 February 1984 in Los Angeles, California. [1] His parents emigrated from South Korea to the United States in the early 1980s, [2] and his father had scarcely completed a high-school education. The family opened a liquor store in South Los Angeles, and his mother worked as a substitute elementary school teacher while raising Kim and his younger brother. [3] In a 2018 interview with Annals of Emergency Medicine , Kim described himself as "the epitome of that quiet kid who just lacked complete self-confidence." [4] In 2020, The Chosun Ilbo reported that the adolescent Kim had been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of his father; in February 2002, after threatening his family with a gun, Kim's father was shot to death in his attic by police. [5]
At Santa Monica High School, [6] Kim received high grades in his classes, including several Advanced Placements, while participating in swimming and water polo; [3] he graduated in 2002. Kim received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude , in mathematics from the University of San Diego in 2012, and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 2016. Kim was a Pat Tillman Foundation "Tillman Scholar" selectee. In 2017, Kim completed his medical internship in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. [6]
As of January 2020 [update] , Kim was married [7] with three children. [8]
Kim learned about and decided to become a Navy SEAL at age 16, investing his remaining high-school years physically conditioning himself for the rigors of Special Warfare training. Of this decision, Kim said, "Going into the Navy was the best decision I ever made in my life because it completely transformed that scared boy who didn't have any dreams to someone who started to believe in himself." [4]
After enlisting with the United States Navy in 2002 as a seaman recruit, Kim graduated BUD/S class 247 and was assigned to SEAL Team 3 with the rating Special Warfare Operator. He deployed twice to the Middle East and participated in over 100 combat missions as a combat medic, sniper, navigator, and point man. [6] During his tenure with the SEALs, Kim served with PO2s Marc Alan Lee and Michael A. Monsoor. [7] In 2009, [6] Kim was accepted to the STA-21 commissioning program; [9] when he graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012 and left the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, Kim entered the Medical Corps. [6]
On 6 June 2022, Kim completed his first solo flight in a Beechcraft T-6 Texan II at the Naval Air Training Command, part of a common training regimen for U.S. Navy –NASA astronauts who lacked previous military pilot experience. [9] After further training on the Northrop T-38 Talon and TH-57 helicopter, Kim formally completed his flight training in March 2023 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, receiving the rare dual-designation as both a Naval flight surgeon and naval aviator. [10]
Kim is a recipient of a Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal (with Combat "V"), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with Combat "V"), and Combat Action Ribbon. [7] According to Jocko Willink, Kim's Silver Star was awarded for rescuing multiple wounded Iraqi soldiers in the face of enemy fire. [11] As of July 2023 [update] , Kim was still described as a Naval officer with the rank of lieutenant commander. [12]
While studying at Harvard Medical School, Kim met and was inspired by astronaut–physician Scott E. Parazynski to apply for Astronaut Candidacy. [4] On 7 June 2017, [13] Kim was one of twelve candidates chosen from a pool of over 18,300 applicants to join NASA Astronaut Group 22. [14] He reported for duty on 21 August 2017, [4] and graduated from training on 10 January 2020. [6]
According to NASA, Kim will work in the Astronaut Office while awaiting a flight assignment. [6] In 2020, Kim began working as a capsule communicator at the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center. [12] On 9 December 2020, NASA formally announced that Kim would join 17 other astronauts in training for a 2024 Moon landing. [15] In July 2023, he was serving as operations officer, supporting crew operations. [12] In August 2024, NASA announced that Kim is scheduled as a member of the Expedition 72/73 crew to the International Space Station, launching aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft in March 2025. [16]
Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter Jr., M.D., , was an American chemist, physician, professional soccer player, naval officer and aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut who flew on STS-33.
David McDowell Brown was a United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut. He died on his first spaceflight, when the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) disintegrated during orbital reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Brown became an astronaut in 1996 but had not served on a space mission prior to the Columbia disaster. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Laurel Blair Clark was an American NASA astronaut, medical doctor, United States Navy captain, and Space Shuttle mission specialist. She died along with her six fellow crew members in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Clark was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Walter Marty Schirra Jr. was an American naval aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. In 1959, he became one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, which was the United States' first effort to put humans into space. On October 3, 1962, he flew the six-orbit, nine-hour, Mercury-Atlas 8 mission, in a spacecraft he nicknamed Sigma 7, becoming the fifth American and ninth human to travel into space. In December 1965, as part of the two-man Gemini program, he achieved the first space rendezvous, station-keeping his Gemini 6A spacecraft within 1 foot (30 cm) of the sister Gemini 7 spacecraft. In October 1968, he commanded Apollo 7, an 11-day low Earth orbit shakedown test of the three-man Apollo Command/Service Module and the first crewed launch for the Apollo program.
Daniel Charles Brandenstein is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of United Space Alliance. He is a former Naval Aviator, test pilot and NASA astronaut, who flew four Space Shuttle missions. He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1987 to 1992.
Charles Eldon Brady Jr. was an American physician, a captain in the United States Navy and a NASA astronaut. He spent 16 days in space on the Space Shuttle's STS-78 flight in 1996.
Jerry Michael Linenger is a retired Captain in the United States Navy Medical Corps, and a former NASA astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle and Space Station Mir.
Richard Michael Linnehan is a United States Army veterinarian and a NASA astronaut.
Lee Miller Emile Morin is a United States Navy Captain and NASA astronaut. He flew on STS-110 in 2002.
Lisa Marie Nowak is an American aeronautical engineer, former NASA astronaut, and retired United States Navy officer. Nowak served as naval flight officer and test pilot in the Navy, and was selected by NASA for NASA Astronaut Group 16 in 1996, qualifying as a mission specialist in robotics. She flew in space aboard Space ShuttleDiscovery during the STS-121 mission in July 2006, when she was responsible for operating the robotic arms of the shuttle and the International Space Station. In 2007, Nowak was involved in a highly publicized incident of criminal misconduct for which she eventually pled guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor battery charges, resulting in her demotion from captain to commander, and termination by NASA and the Navy.
Sunita Lyn "Suni" Williams is an American astronaut, retired U.S. Navy officer, and former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and most spacewalk time for a woman. Williams was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and Expedition 15. In 2012, she served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33. In 2024, she returned to the ISS on the Boeing Crew Flight Test, the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner; her return to Earth has been delayed until February 2025. As such, from August 2024 until February 2025, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are pivoting ahead to undertake various scientific experiments and maintenance tasks aboard the International Space Station.
Christopher Joseph "Gus" Loria is a retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and a medically retired NASA astronaut. He was originally scheduled to fly on STS-113 as pilot; however, he was grounded from spaceflight due to a severe back injury.
Thomas Henry "Tom" Marshburn is an American physician and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of three spaceflights to the International Space Station and holds the record for the oldest person to perform a spacewalk at 61 years old.
Christopher John "Chris" Cassidy is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Navy SEAL. Chris Cassidy achieved the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy. His first spaceflight was on a Space Shuttle mission in 2009. He was the Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA from July 2015 until June 2017.
Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore is an American NASA astronaut and United States Navy test pilot. He has had three spaceflights, the first of which was an 11-day Space Shuttle mission in November 2009, to the International Space Station. Wilmore was designated as pilot with five other crew members on Space Shuttle Atlantis for the mission STS-129. He served as part of Expedition 41 to the International Space Station, and in 2024 returned to the ISS on the Boeing Crew Flight Test, the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner. As of October 2024 he is in space and is set to return to Earth in 2025.
Gregory Reid Wiseman is an American astronaut, engineer, and naval aviator. He served as Chief of the Astronaut Office until November 14, 2022.
John Gretton "Jocko" Willink Jr. is an American author, podcaster, and retired United States Navy officer who served in the Navy SEALs and is a former member of SEAL Team 3.
NASA Astronaut Group 22 is a group of twelve NASA astronauts selected in June 2017. They were joined by two Canadian Space Agency astronauts for training.
Jasmin Moghbeli is a U.S. Marine Corps test pilot and NASA astronaut. She is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Naval Postgraduate School, and Naval Test Pilot School. Moghbeli was mission commander for SpaceX Crew-7 and flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 69/70.
Matthew Stuart Dominick is an American test pilot and astronaut. As a pilot in the U.S. Navy, Dominick has more than 1,600 hours of flight time in 28 aircraft, 400 carrier-arrested landings, 61 combat missions, and almost 200 flight test carrier landings. He was recently on the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew-8 mission, which landed on October 25, 2024.
This January, Johnny Kim became an astronaut on NASA's Mars expedition. Confessions of a Childhood Abused by His Father
The 'wouldn't believe it if it weren't true' list of accomplishments of Astronaut Jonny Kim keeps growing. Now he's becoming a pilot.
Harvard Medical School grad to depart residency for astronaut training