Tyler Nicklaus Hague, born in 1975 in Belleville, Kansas, represents the intersection of military aviation expertise and modern space exploration. A career officer who transitioned from the United States Air Force to the United States Space Force, he achieved distinction as a NASA astronaut, participating in critical orbital missions and pioneering new procedures for space flight operations.
Early Education and Military Foundations
Hague attended Peabody-Burns Elementary and later Hoxie High School. He pursued technical training at the United States Air Force Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 1998. He continued his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing a Master of Science in the same field in 2000. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1998, he later refined his skills at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School from 2003 to 2004, subsequently testing F-15, F-16, and T-38 aircraft.
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Selected as part of NASA Astronaut Group 21, Hague completed his initial training in 2015. On 11 October 2018, he launched on Soyuz MS-10 alongside Aleksey Ovchinin. The mission faced an emergency when a booster collided with the rocket stage, triggering an automatic abort. The crew survived a ballistic descent, reaching an apogee of 93 kilometers before landing safely in Kazakhstan. This event marked his technical qualification for the United States Astronaut Badge.
Expedition Operations and Spacewalks
Hague successfully reached the International Space Station on 14 March 2019 aboard Soyuz MS-12. During Expedition 59/60, he completed three separate extravehicular activities. His first spacewalk on 22 March 2019 lasted 6 hours and 39 minutes, focusing on battery replacement and module maintenance. Subsequent spacewalks on 29 March and 21 August 2019 involved additional external station repairs and the installation of an International Docking Adapter on the Harmony module.
Space Force Leadership
Hague transitioned to the U.S. Space Force in December 2020. His roles included serving as the director of Test and Evaluation at the Pentagon. In 2025, he received a promotion to the rank of brigadier general. As of December 2025, he oversees the development and implementation of policy regarding global operations, training, and operational readiness for the Space Force, concluding his time as an active NASA astronaut.
Fast facts
- Born: 1975, Belleville, Kansas
- Education: USAF Academy (BS), MIT (MS)
- Military Rank: Brigadier General
- First Spaceflight: Soyuz MS-10 (11 October 2018)
- Space Station Expeditions: 59 and 60
- Total Spacewalks: 3
- NASA Retirement: 23 December 2025
Questions readers ask
Was Nick Hague the first Space Force guardian to fly in space?
Yes, while Colonel Michael S. Hopkins transferred to the Space Force while already in orbit, Hague was the first guardian to launch into space.
Did the Soyuz MS-10 abort count as a space flight?
The mission reached 93 km, which is below the Kármán line (100 km) but above the USAF definition of space (80 km), qualifying him for the United States Astronaut Badge.
Achievements
- Educated at MIT College of Engineering, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and United States Air Force Academy
- Worked as military officer and astronaut
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