Nichole “Vapor” Ayers

Expedition 73 picture day! 📸 It was a great day to get together as friends and crewmates to take fun photos around the @iss . Pictured here: NASA astronauts @astro_annimal , @astro_ayers , and me, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Kirill Peskov.

Wow. What a day. Spacewalks are grueling and exhilarating all at the same time. @astro_annimal , @astro_berrios , @jonnykimusa , Tak, and our flight control team on the ground absolutely set the standard for teamwork. We started the day off more ready than ever thanks to Tak and Jonny’s efforts suiting us up. We had a dynamic day outside with lots of changes and challenges, but our team got through it all! This was probably the most challenging and rewarding day I’ve ever had. We got out the door and got the tasks done that make the @iss ready for the next cargo spacecraft, roll out solar arrays, and continued work on science through the next several years. The views were absolutely stunning, and a little terrifying all at the same time. It’s tough to make your brain believe you won’t fall. 🤯 Coming from an operational background flying the F-22 Raptor, this spacewalk feels like the culmination of a lifetime of work. Having been at the tip of the spear in the Raptor, I think the only thing that tops it is a spacewalk. Such an incredible experience.

Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite. Sprites are TLEs or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below. We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms.

Prepping for helicopter training!! @astro_ayers

1 year ago TODAY! We stepped outside the @iss to work on solar array upgrades and an antenna move for visiting space craft. I still think we got the best selfie ever, and we love talking about that moment! Haha see pic 3, which was at the recent RNASA awards Gala where @astro_annimal and I had the privilege of presenting awards to the awesome people advancing human space flight.

GO ARTEMIS II!!!!!

The team behind the broadcast! Go Artemis!

WE. ARE. GOING. So excited to share this launch with the world today as we go back to the Moon! Let’s go Artemis II!

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.💡 Self‑care isn’t a luxury — it’s a leadership skill. @NASA astronaut and @AF_Academy graduate Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers ’11 shares why prioritizing your own well‑being is essential for showing up strong for others. 🎧 Join the conversation now: https://bit.ly/4dmDaPl . . #LongBlueLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #AirForceAcademy #USAF #NASA #Astronaut

🚀 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers ’11 joins the podcast to talk about her journey from the @AF_Academy to becoming a @NASA astronaut — and the leadership lessons she’s learned along the way. In this episode, she reflects on perseverance, purpose and the mindset required to take on some of the most challenging missions imaginable. 🎙 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 17. Subscribe today so you don't miss it! . . . @astro_ayers @engagedaf

Congrats to all the athletes that competed in the Olympics! They are such a great reminder of sportsmanship, teamwork, competition, and grit. I enjoyed watching everyone compete! Almost as much as I loved looking down at Milan from the @iss Here is a picture of just how big a lightning strike can be. It is almost the size of Milan!

With February launches coming up, you’re going to hear a lot about zero-g indicators. So, here’s a quick explainer on them. On launch, we’re strapped in tight: 5-point harness, legs and feet restrained. That’s critical for safety, especially in the event of an abort, but it also means we can’t feel the exact moment gravity lets go. That’s where the zero-g indicator comes in. Every crew chooses a small, soft object - sometimes from our kids, sometimes designed just for the mission - which is tethered inside the capsule. When it floats, we know we’re weightless. We’re in space! Every astronaut remembers the moment their zero-g indicator lifts off. That’s the moment spaceflight becomes real! What will the @nasaartemis Artemis II and @spacex @nasa Crew-12 crews choose for their indicator? We will all find out together after launch! (hint: keep watching the broadcast for about 30 minutes) Here are a few photos of друг, the Crew-10 zero-g indicator that launched with us on 14 March 2025, floating in the @iss cupola. друг, pronounced "droog," means "friend" in Russian. And here are the words we called down to mission control as we watched друг floating in the cabin for the first time: "Our zero-g indicator is a hand-crocheted origami crane, with patches displaying our mission number and flags from each of our countries. Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper. This is a nod to the unique and deep cultural traditions from which each of us come. We are from different parts of the world, but we are brought together in this bold endeavor, and we represent all of humanity. The folded paper design was also chosen to represent the paper airplanes we made when we were kids, before we were astronauts, when all we had was a dream, when we looked up at the sky and wondered “what if?” It’s a symbol that every big accomplishment starts with a quiet dream - and that dreams do come true, when you believe in yourself and listen to those who believe in you. For those of you with doubt, filter out the voices that say you or your work are not worthy. Crew-10 believes in the dreamers, because all of this started with our impractical dreams. (continued in comments)