“America’s Medical School” Graduate Selected for NASA Spaceflight Mission

A man in a NASA flight suit stands by a pool

 Army Doctor, Astronaut Andrew Morgan heads to space in 2019

By Sharon Holland

A man in a NASA flight suit
(Photo by Sharon Holland)
Army physician Lt. Col. Andrew Morgan, a NASA astronaut, will be one of two members of the NASA astronaut class of 2013 going into space in 2019, according to an announcement released by the space agency May 24, 2018.

Morgan, a 2002 graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine – “America’s Medical School” – will launch in July 2019 as a member of the Expedition 60/61 crew headed to the International Space Station.  Morgan’s colleague, astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, was also selected for a mission to the ISS with Expedition 59/60, which is scheduled to launch in April 2019.

Morgan, a New Castle, Pennsylvania, native, earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from USU.  He went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at Madigan Army Medical Center-University of Washington, followed by a fellowship in primary care sports medicine from the Virginia Commonwealth University/Fairfax Family Practice.

a man in a NASA polo sits by a control panel
(Photo by Sharon Holland)

Morgan’s military medicine career was jumpstarted with a volunteer assignment for U.S. Army special operations forces. He served as a medical team member in the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and went on to an assignment as battalion surgeon for the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, where he served for three years.  Morgan then served on a strategic special operations assignment in Washington, D.C., before completing his sports medicine fellowship. Morgan has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa in support of combat operations.

“We are extremely proud of Drew and all of his accomplishments throughout his career.  His unique background as a military medical officer will provide significant contributions to his ISS crew members and the next generation of space exploration,” said USU President Dr. Richard Thomas.  “I can assure you the entire Uniformed Services University community will be watching when he launches into space.”

Follow Morgan on social media:
@AstroDrewMorgan