First Crew - Michael López-Alegría

Michael López-Alegría (Mike LA) is the perfect example of who should be on the first crewed flight to another planet (Mars). 

Mike is a decorated astronaut who returned to low-Earth orbit for the fifth time in 2022 as Commander of Axiom Mission 1, history’s first all-private crew to the International Space Station and is involved in both operational and business development efforts within Axiom Space.

With more than 40 years of aviation and space experience with the U.S. Navy and NASA in a variety of roles including Naval Aviator, engineering test pilot and program manager, NASA astronaut, and International Space Station commande, he also holds NASA records for most extravehicular activities (EVAs)(10) and cumulative EVA time (67 hours, 40 minutes). 

A former president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, he was a spokesman and advocate with the U.S. Congress and pertinent Executive Agencies for favorable public policy on behalf of the commercial spaceflight industry. He has served on several advisory boards and committees of public and private organizations, including the Human Exploration and Operations Committee of the NASA Advisory Council and the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) to the FAA, and is the current chairman of ASTM International’s Committee on Commercial Spaceflight as well as past President of the Association of Space Explorers. Mike also has a B.S. in systems engineering at the United States Naval Academy and an M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Mike LA would be a valued member of the first crew. combining experience, education and advocacy.  

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