South Windsor's Jack Hathaway is on track to become an astronaut

Connecticut Public Radio | By John Henry Smith

Published December 7, 2021 at 6:10 PM EST

astronaut_candidate_jack_hathaway By NASA.jpg — Astronaut Candidate Individual Portrait, Jack Hathaway - ASCAN Class of 2021. Photo Date: December 3, 2021. Location: Building 8, Room 183 - Photo Studio. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

There have been 6 American astronauts who hail from the state of Connecticut.

Now we are on the cusp of having number 7 join their ranks.

When NASA announced it’s new 10 person astronaut candidate class Monday, South Windsor’s Jack Hathaway was among them.

United States Navy Commander Jack Hathaway spoke on "All Things Considered" about how his hometown prepared him for this moment.

He also talked about how he controls his fear, his thoughts on NASA's commitment to diversity and what he thinks about private efforts by people like Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to colonize other celestial bodies.

News

John Henry Smith

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

See stories by John Henry Smith

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Donate