Nick Hague

Summary

Col. Nick Hague was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013. The Kansas native earned a bachelor of science in Astronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1998, and a master of science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000. Hague completed astronaut candidate training in July 2015. During his first mission to the International Space Station in 2018, he and his crewmate Alexey Ovchinin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, experienced a catastrophic rocket booster malfunction that resulted in the launch abort of their Soyuz MS-10. In 2019, Hague launched on Soyuz MS-12 and served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for 203 days during Expedition 59 and 60. From 2020 to 2022, Hague completed a developmental rotation with the United States Space Force, serving as the new military service’s Director of Test and Evaluation at The Pentagon in Washington D.C. He returned to NASA in August 2022 to work on the Boeing Starliner Program. For his second mission to the space station, Hague launched as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission on Sept. 28 alongside crewmate Aleksandr Gorbunov. Both are currently serving as flight engineers aboard the space station on a five-month science expedition.

Personal

Born in 1975 in Belleville, Kansas, but considers Hoxie, Kansas, his hometown. He is married to Catie Hague, Colonel (retired) U.S. Air Force. They are the proud parents of two sons. Hague enjoys exercise, flying, snow skiing and scuba. His parents, Don and Bev Hague, reside in Sandpoint, Idaho. His wife’s parents, Charlie Devlin and Clare Keenan reside in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

Education

Graduated from Hoxie High School, Hoxie, Kansas, in 1994. Earned a bachelor of science in Astronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1998. Earned a master of science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000.

Experience

Hague was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in May 1998. In August 2000, he was assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he worked on advanced spacecraft technologies. In 2003, he attended the flight test engineering course at the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California. Following graduation in 2004, he worked at the 416th Flight Test Squadron, testing F-16, F-15 and T-38 aircraft. In late 2004, he deployed for five months to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, conducting experimental airborne reconnaissance. In 2006, Hague joined the Department of Astronautics faculty at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, where he instructed courses in introductory astronautics, linear control system analysis and design and scuba. In 2009, Hague was selected for the Air Force Fellows program in Washington, D.C., where he was assigned as a member of the personal staff in the U.S. Senate, advising on matters of national defense and foreign policy. Following his fellowship, he served in the Pentagon as a congressional appropriations liaison for United States Central Command. In 2012, Hague was assigned to the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, Crystal City, Virginia, as the Deputy Division Chief for research and development, where he worked until he commenced astronaut training in 2013. From 2020-2022, Hague completed a developmental rotation where he served as the Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters United States Space Force overseeing the establishment of the new service’s test workforce, infrastructure, and operations. In 2021, Hague voluntarily transferred from the United States Air Force to the United States Space Force.

NASA Experience

Hague was selected in June 2013, as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class. In August 2013, he began Astronaut Candidate Training, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station systems, spacewalks, Russian Language training, Robotics, physiological training, T-38 flight training and water and wilderness survival training. Hague completed astronaut candidate training in July 2015.

Hague was the first astronaut from his class to be assigned to a mission which launched on October 11, 2018. Unfortunately, he and his crewmate Alexey Ovchinin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, were forced to abort the mission when a rocket booster experienced a malfunction shortly after the launch of their Soyuz MS-10. The aborted spacecraft landed safely. 

Expeditions 59 and 60 (March 2019 through October 2019) Hague re-launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station March 14, 2019. Together with fellow Astronaut Christina Koch and the international crew of Expeditions 59 and 60, they conducted or participated in hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, including investigations into devices that mimic the structure and function of human organs, free-flying robots, and an instrument to measure Earth’s distribution of carbon dioxide.  Hague conducted three spacewalks during his mission, totaling 19 hours and 56 minutes with a total of 203 days in space. He and Ovchinin returned to Earth on October 4, 2019, along with the first United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, who launched September 25, 2019 aboard the Soyuz MS-15.

In August 2022, Hague received technical assignment as the Crew Operations and Test technical authority in support of the Commercial Crew Program Office’s Boeing CST-100 (Starliner) program.

Expedition 72 (Sept. 2024 – present): Hague launched for the third time on Sept. 28, lifting off aboard the Crew Dragon “Freedom” from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. He and crewmate Aleksandr Gorbunov arrived at the space station on Sept. 29, and the two became Expedition 71 flight engineers. This is Hague’s second stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, where he’ll spend the next five months conducting scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.

Awards/Honors

Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Academy; Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Test Pilot School; Defense Superior Service Medal; two Legion of Merit Medals; Distinguished Flying Cross; six Air Medals; Air Force Combat Action Medal; NASA Spaceflight Medal; NASA Distinguished Service Medal; NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal; Russian Federation Order of Courage; as well as various campaign and service awards.

Hague, Tyler N. (PDF 278 KB)