Turkey-born woman among NASA astronaut candidates

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - NASA has picked 10 new astronaut candidates to represent the US and work for humanity’s benefit in space, including one who was born in Turkey.

Deniz Burnham, 36, was born at Incirlik Air Base in Adana, southern Turkey. According to NASA, Burnham calls Wasilla, Alaska home.

Burnham is a former intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California and serves in the US Navy Reserves.

"Burnham is an experienced leader in the energy industry, managing onsite drilling projects throughout North America, including in Alaska, Canada and Texas," said NASA.

The members of the 2021 astronaut class, the first new class in four years, were introduced during an event Monday at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The astronaut candidates will go through two years of training that includes five major categories: operating and maintaining the International Space Station's complex systems, training for spacewalks, developing complex robotics skills, safely operating a T-38 training jet, and Russian language skills.