Life science research in extreme environments: a conversation with astronaut Jessica Meir

Jessica Meir is a NASA astronaut, marine biologist, and physiologist. She flew for the first time to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019 where she served as a flight engineer for Expedition 61/62. Before becoming an astronaut, her scientific career focused on the physiology of animals in extreme environments. She studied the diving physiology of emperor penguins in Antarctica and elephant seals in Northern California during her Ph.D., and she worked with high-flying bar-headed geese during her postdoctoral research. As an astronaut, she has extensive experience developing, teaching, coordinating and performing biology experiments in space or equivalent reduced-gravity settings. Dr. Meir will serve as spacecraft commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission, which will launch to the ISS in February 2026 for another science expedition. In this Q&A, she discusses her passion for biology and the value of conducting scientific research in space.