100+ Former Astronauts Launch Astronauts for America

When you've flown millions of miles through space representing your country, you learn something powerful: what unites us matters far more than what divides us.

That's the message from former NASA astronauts Steve Lindsey and Garrett Reisman, who just launched Astronauts for America with support from over 100 fellow space veterans. The new nonpartisan organization brings together Republicans, Democrats, and Independents around a shared mission to strengthen American democracy.

Lindsey served over 30 years in the Air Force and NASA as a pilot and astronaut. Reisman spent 95 days on the International Space Station and worked at SpaceX for more than a decade as a senior advisor and director of space operations.

Despite years of working together, the two men only recently learned they belonged to different political parties. Politics never came up because spaceflight demands commitment to the mission and working toward common goals.

The organization focuses on promoting constitutional values and supporting elected officials who prioritize evidence and expertise over political point scoring. Members believe that when democratic systems fail, civil rights diminish, science suffers, and national security becomes compromised.

Astronauts for America plans to work with voters and hold policymakers accountable when they ignore the rule of law. The group will elevate leaders who work across differences to get things done, using the same data-driven approach that made America's space program successful.

Why This Inspires

These astronauts represent the best of American achievement and possibility. They've literally seen Earth from space, where borders disappear and humanity appears as one fragile, precious whole.

Now they're applying the same discipline, teamwork, and commitment to truth that took them to space toward protecting democracy at home. Their willingness to step into the political arena, despite preferring to stay out of it, shows how seriously they take their oath to support and defend the Constitution.

The coalition's bipartisan makeup proves that love of country and respect for democratic values can transcend party lines. When people who've risked their lives representing America come together across political differences, it reminds us that common ground still exists.

Their message resonates: democracy isn't a spectator sport. Everyone who dreams big for America has a role to play in protecting the values that make those dreams possible.

These space explorers once wondered how they'd react when tested in the most extreme conditions. They rose to the challenge then, and they're rising to meet this moment now.