NASA selects Sammamish woman for astronaut candidate class

SAMMAMISH, Wash. - Lauren Edgar, who considers Washington home, has been selected by NASA to join its 2025 astronaut candidate class.

Dr. Lauren Edgar, 39, of Sammamish, reported for duty at Johnson Space Center in Houston this month.

She is an experienced geologist with more than 17 years supporting Mars missions. At the time of her selection, she served as a deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team, helping define the lunar science goals and geology activities astronauts will conduct during NASA’s return to the Moon.

A graduate of Skyline High School, Edgar earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College in 2007, followed by a master’s degree in 2009 and a doctorate in geology in 2013 from the California Institute of Technology.

She has