U.S. Naval War College Provost Dr. Stephen Mariano and Space Studies Group Director Dr. David Burbach were on-hand at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Feb. 13, 2026, as NASA astronaut and alumnus U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jack Hathaway – along with his three crewmates – were launched into space.
Hathaway is the pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, bound for the International Space Station. Crew-12is NASA’s 12th crew rotation mission and the 13th flight with astronauts to the orbiting laboratory through NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
National Security Affairs Chair Dr. Derek Reveron said Hathaway, whom he taught as a Naval War College (NWC) student in 2015, was smart, curious and always working hard to improve.
Reveron said on one occasion, Hathaway wrote and submitted an assignment that he wasn’t required to complete.
“He did so, because in his words, ‘I am always interested in being a better writer,’” recalled Reveron.
Burbach said Hathaway’s focus on improving as a writer helps showcase how astronauts must be well-rounded. Hathaway – a Navy fighter pilot with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in flight dynamics, in addition to his NWC degree – must understand communication, diplomacy and international relations in addition to science, Burbach said.
“You can be a really good pilot and be able to solve all kinds of aerodynamic and orbital calculations, but there’s more to being an astronaut to that,” he said. “At a broader national level, we’ve long seen our space program as a way of building soft power. Cmdr. Hathaway is headed to the International Space Station, which is a project to promote international cooperation, and where we can demonstrate to the world our technological leadership.”
Hathaway is among the latest in a line of NWC alum in the space program. Fellow current astronaut Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Wittner graduated from the war college in 2021 and joined the Astronaut Candidate Class that same year.
Former astronaut Alan Shepard, who became the first American in space in 1961 and commanded the Apollo 14 mission landing on the moon a decade later, was a 1957 NWC graduate.
Other noteworthy NWC alumni in space include astronauts Charles Precourt and Jeff Williams. Precourt, a 1990 graduate and U.S. Air Force officer, became the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Corps. Williams, a 1996 graduate and U.S. Army officer, is credited with four ISS missions adding up to more than 500 days in space.
“I think their time here helped them get some of the necessary perspectives on why we undertake these space missions, and how we relate to friends, partners and adversaries in the world,” said Burbach. “What I think it demonstrates for the Naval War College is that we have a long history of officers who combine strong technical qualifications with the leadership skills and versatility to take on these incredibly challenging assignments.”
The NWC Space Studies Group was established just more than one year ago as the college ramps up offerings in the subject matter – current electives include classes on space weather effects on military operations, space technology and missions, and Burbach’s class on space and national power.
“Within the last 10 years, and especially the last five, the national and local interest in space has gone up dramatically,” Burbach said. “We now recognize that with our network of satellites, it’s so important to every operation we execute. We have to include space expertise in every part of the military.”
He acknowledged that current or incoming NWC students may be in a future class of astronauts, like Hathaway and Wittner.
“I think coming here is one way to demonstrate that you’re not simply good in the cockpit and good at solving engineering problems, but good at providing the broad set of skills necessary to take on that very wide-ranging and public-facing challenge set that faces today’s astronauts,” said Burbach.
Founded in 1884, NWC informs today’s decision-makers and educates tomorrow’s leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage.