Kellie Gerardi

Kellie Gerardi is an aerospace, defense, and technology professional and a popular science communicator. She conducts bioastronautics research in microgravity with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) and in 2021was announced as a commercial astronaut and payload specialist contracted to fly on a dedicated research flight with Virgin Galactic. Kellie is the world's first industry-sponsored researcher contracted to fly on a commercial spacecraft. Kellie serves on the Defense Council for the Truman National Security Project and on the Board of Directors for The Explorers Club, whose esteemed flag she carried during a crew rotation at the Mars Desert Research Station. Kellie also holds a leadership role in global Mission Operations at Palantir Technologies. She is the author of Not Necessarily Rocket Science and the children’s picture book series Luna Muna. Kellie lives in Jupiter, Florida with her husband Steven and their daughter Delta V.