Jonny Kim Exits NASA to Rejoin Naval Aviation

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is leaving NASA after nine years to resume active military duty and finish his naval-aviation training. A Harvard-trained physician and former Navy SEAL, Kim flew to the ISS during Expedition 73 in 2025 for about 245 days, completing 3,920 orbits and roughly 104 million miles. He was part of NASA’s 2017 astronaut class, contributed to Artemis program development, and served as CAPCOM. NASA lauded his leadership and impact as he returns to military service while continuing to pursue space exploration in new ways.