Join us for a special live-streamed event with one of Cranfield’s most remarkable alumni, Commander Jack Hathaway (MSc Flight Dynamics 2014), currently serving as a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
This rare opportunity offers a firsthand insight into life in orbit, the journey from Cranfield to spaceflight, and the pioneering Cranfield research taking place some 250 miles above Earth. From the realities of living and working in microgravity to the mission-critical science happening on board the ISS, Commander Hathaway will share what it’s really like to call space ‘work’.
The SpaceX Crew‑12 mission, launching to the ISS in February 2026, has a strong Cranfield connection. Commander Hathaway serves as pilot, alongside fellow alumna Sophie Adenot (PgCert Flight Test and Flight Dynamics 2018), who has trained with the European Space Agency.
We hope you’ll join us to celebrate this extraordinary moment for our alumni community and be inspired by the impact Cranfield graduates are making on the global stage — and beyond.
Date: Wednesday 18 February 2026
Time: 1505
Venue: Online
Please note the details of this event are subject to last minute change due to unpredictable circumstances.
Programme & speakers
Jack Hathaway
Jack Hathaway was selected by NASA to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported for duty in January 2022. The Connecticut native earned bachelors’ degrees in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and completed graduate studies at Cranfield University, England, and the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. A distinguished naval aviator, Hathaway flew and deployed with VFA-14 aboard the USS Nimitz and VFA-136 aboard the USS Truman, graduated from Empire Test Pilots’ School, supported the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, and was most recently assigned as the prospective executive officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 81. He has over 2,500 flight hours in 30 types of aircraft, more than 500 carrier arrested landings, and flew 39 combat missions. Hathaway will serve as pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission, set to launch no earlier than Feb. 11, 2026, to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition.
1505 - Welcome and Introductions
1510 - Link to the Interenational Space Station and Interview with Commander Jack Hathaway (MSc Flight Dynamics 2014) NASA Astronaut
1530 - Summary and close
1535 - Event ends
Location & travel details
Online via Zoom, the link will be shared one day before the event.
Who should attend
All alumni are welcome to join alongside students and staff.
Cost & concessions
Free to attend