Jonny Kim, a former SEAL and naval aviator, enlisted in the U.S. Navy before becoming a physician and joining NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017. He completed his astronaut training in 2020.
NASA's Artemis team, which Jonny Kim is a part of, aims to land humans on the Moon for the first time since 1972.
Jonny Kim, also known as Jonathan Yong Kim, was born on February 5, 1984 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
After learning about Navy SEALs and reading a formative book, Jonny made the decision to become a Navy SEAL at the age of 16 in 1999. Despite initial lack of understanding from his mother, Jonny was determined to pursue this path.
At the age of 16, Jonny Kim experienced a tragic incident where his alcoholic father attacked him and his mother, leading to a life-changing event that motivated him to achieve remarkable success in his life.
From 2002 to 2009, Jonny Kim served in SEAL Team 3, a prestigious unit in the US Navy Reserve.
Jonny Kim was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery in rescuing wounded Iraqi soldiers while under fire in June 2006.
In 2009, Jonny Kim left the Navy SEALs to pursue a career in emergency medicine. He went on to graduate from Harvard Medical School in 2016 and conducted his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
On December 8, 2012, NASA conducted the WB-57F Space Flight Readiness Training (SFRT) Program with astronaut Jonny Kim and WB-57 pilot Adam Klein.
In 2016, Kim completed his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School, a significant milestone in his medical career.
On June 7, 2017, Jonny Kim was announced as an astronaut candidate by NASA. He is a former Navy SEAL and a Harvard-educated doctor.
On June 9, 2017, Jonny Kim, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and a medical doctor, was selected as a NASA Astronaut Candidate.
On August 22, 2017, Jonny Kim was chosen as a NASA astronaut candidate, marking a significant achievement in his career.
On September 21, 2017, NASA candidate Jonny Kim participated in helicopter water survival training at NASA Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston.
An interview conducted by Annals Q&A with Dr. Jonny Kim in March 2018, published in the American College of Emergency Physicians journal.
On January 10, 2020, the graduation ceremony of the 2017 class of Astronaut Candidates took place.
NASA Astronauts Stephanie Wilson, Jonny Kim, and Randy Bresnik examined the Orion spacecraft simulator at Johnson Space Center on December 8, 2020.
On December 8, 2021, NASA conducted the WB-57F Space Flight Readiness Training (SFRT) Program with astronaut Jonny Kim and WB-57 pilot Adam Klein, reaching a maximum altitude of 64,360 feet mean sea level.
On June 6, 2022, Jonny Kim completed his first solo flight in a Beechcraft T-6 Texan II at the Naval Air Training Command, as part of his training regimen for U.S. Navy - NASA astronauts.
In March 2023, Jonny Kim formally completed his flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, receiving the rare dual-designation as both a Navy flight surgeon and naval aviator.