Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joseph “Ben” Bailey joined the NASA astronaut candidate school this September, and after he graduates, he will be available for mission assignments in space. As an Army astronaut, he will be reassigned to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s NASA Detachment.
Bailey is only the second Warrant Officer to be chosen to attend the school, after now-retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Thomas J. Hennen, who flew on the Space Shuttle Atlantis as a payload specialist.
"I’m humbled and honored to have been invited to join this team," Bailey said in an Army press release. "This position is not something I had envisioned as an option when I joined the Army, but every moment I spend with this team, I feel extremely fortunate for the opportunity, and a great excitement for the possibilities."
Prior to pursuing a career track as an astronaut, Bailey served as an Army aviator. Having graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, he worked on the development and testing of new equipment for the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
"Welcoming CW3 Bailey to the Astronaut Corps is a very proud moment for the Army," explained the Army NASA Detachment’s commander. "CW3 Bailey brings exactly the kind of expertise that strengthens the Astronaut Corps — deep operational experience, combat-tested leadership and the technical skill of a seasoned test pilot."