Episode 255: Colonel Douglas Hurley - Space Travel & The Career of a NASA Astronaut
NASA Astronaut and Marine Corps Colonel Douglas Hurley is on the show this week!
Doug was the Spacecraft Commander on last year’s SpaceX Crew Dragon. It was the first crewed spaceflight from American soil in almost 9 years.
Doug’s Why Not Now? moment involves applying to the astronaut program, and how that decision changed the trajectory of both his professional and personal life. Doug’s favorite part about his time in the program is that he met his wife who is also a NASA Astronaut and they now have a son together.
Doug tells Amy Jo about the week-long interview process and what NASA looks for in its candidates. He also talks about that surreal moment when he got the phone call telling him he would be an astronaut.
Doug and Amy Jo discuss how Doug overcame the mental challenge of living in space for extended periods of time. A lot of the ways he kept his mind healthy in space can easily be applied here on earth.
Doug also shares that he’s at an inflection point in his career. He recently retired from NASA and is planning his next move.
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is when Amy Jo asks Doug to describe some of his favorite moments from any of his three space flights.
It’s no surprise that Doug can’t pick just one, but he describes some of the most impactful moments, and it almost feels like you’re right there with him up in space.
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