The author is excited about her nephew, recently chosen as one of twelve members of the Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017. The aunt is thrilled about the 2 degrees of separation between her and a future astronaut. Included are the backgrounds and achievements of the twelve, explanation of the rigorous training, and the future plans of the space program. The paper also includes a brief history of the early requirements of NASA's space program and coverage of the International Space Station.