NASA Assigns Astronaut Deniz Burnham to First Space Station Mission
NASA has assigned astronaut Deniz Burnham to her first International Space Station mission, launching aboard a Soyuz spacecraft in March 2027 for a seven-month expedition focused on scientific research and future exploration preparation.
NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham has been assigned to her first mission to the International Space Station as a flight engineer for Expedition 76. She will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-30 spacecraft alongside cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin and Konstantin Borisov. The mission is scheduled for March 2027 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with the crew expected to spend approximately seven months conducting research and technology demonstrations aboard the orbiting laboratory.
During her expedition, Burnham will participate in scientific investigations and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. These efforts support NASA’s goals of preparing for future missions to the Moon and Mars while also generating benefits for people on Earth. Burnham was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and graduated with the agency’s 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Her background includes roles in the energy industry, service in the U.S. Navy Reserves, and leadership in onsite drilling operations across North America.
Burnham holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California. She also has experience as an intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. A licensed private pilot with multiple ratings, Burnham brings a diverse skill set to her first spaceflight assignment. Her military and engineering background reflects the multidisciplinary expertise required for long-duration space missions.
The International Space Station has hosted continuous human presence for more than 25 years, serving as a platform for scientific discovery and technological innovation. NASA uses the station to study the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and lay the groundwork for Artemis program missions to the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars. Burnham’s assignment underscores the agency’s ongoing commitment to international collaboration and sustained human exploration in space.