Zena Cardman

Summary

Zena Cardman was selected by NASA as a member of the 2017 “Turtles” astronaut class. The Virginia native holds a bachelor of science degree in Biology and a master of science degree in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her experience includes extensive fieldwork on land and at sea, including multiple Antarctic expeditions. Cardman served as Commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, joining Expeditions 73 and 74 for a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. Cardman brought Crew-11 and the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour home in January, 2026, following an urgent crew medical event aboard the International Space Station.

Personal

Born in Urbana, Illinois, Cardman considers Williamsburg, Virginia, to be home. Her mother is Helen Cardman and father is the late Larry Cardman of Williamsburg. Cardman enjoys photography, rock climbing, poetry, and power lifting.

Education

Cardman graduated from Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Virginia. She received a bachelor of science in Biology, honors in Creative Writing, and a master of science in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of her selection as an astronaut, Cardman was a doctoral candidate in Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University.

Experience

At the University of North Carolina, Cardman studied geochemical cycling and microbial diversity in hydrothermal vents and the Arctic. During that time, she also worked as a field team lead with the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research group in Antarctica, tracking ecosystem changes as part of a multi-decadal study. Cardman has experience with NASA-supported research, helping to develop operational architectures for science-driven planetary EVA. She briefly worked for the Sea Education Association, sailing as Assistant Engineer. At the time of her selection in June 2017, Cardman was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at the Pennsylvania State University, where her research took her underground to study nitrogen- and sulfur-cycling in caves and Earth’s subsurface.

NASA Experience

As an Astronaut Candidate, Cardman reported for duty in August 2017 and completed two years of training before supporting International Space Station operations and, later, lunar surface mission development.

Cardman served as commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, which launched on August 1, 2025, to the International Space Station, where they joined Expeditions 73/74 for a long-duration mission dedicated to scientific research and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. The night prior to a planned spacewalk, Cardman responded to a medical event aboard the Space Station, which lead to the crew’s early return. After 167 days in space, Crew-11 safely splashed down on January 15, 2026, off the coast of San Diego.

Cardman is currently the supervisor for the 2025 Astronaut Candidate class, and Branch Chief for all mission support crew within the Astronaut Office.

Awards/Honors

NASA Exceptional Bravery Award; NASA Spaceflight Medal; NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2012-2017); Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium Fellowships (2015-2016); Royster Society Distinguished Graduate Fellowship (2012-2014); Irene F. Lee Chancellor’s Award for Most Outstanding Senior Woman (2010); North Carolina Space Grant Fellowships (2008-2010, 2013-2014); Chancellor’s Carolina Scholarship (2006-2010).