DECEMBER 18, 2024 — “Our Astronaut Corps prides ourselves on our expeditionary mindset,” said Lt. Col. Jasmin Moghbeli to a crowded ballroom at the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367 249th Marine Corps Birthday Ball. “But who does expeditionary better than the United States Marine Corps?”
Her path to space began in the cockpit of an AH-1W Super Cobra. In 2008, Moghbeli checked into her first operational squadron—HMLA-367, nicknamed “Scarface”—where she developed the skills, discipline, and resilience that now guide her as one of NASA’s 47 active astronauts.
From Dec. 12-13, 2024, Moghbeli returned to HMLA-367 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, reconnecting with Marines, flying the squadron’s AH-1Z Viper, and serving as the guest of honor at their annual birthday ball—a celebration of the Marine Corps’ storied history, tradition, and camaraderie.
“Your first fleet unit will always be special to you,” Moghbeli reflected. “For me, HMLA-367 is that unit.”
In March, Moghbeli completed her first space mission, commanding NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 aboard the International Space Station. She spent 199 days in orbit, including conducting a spacewalk, and returned with newfound perspectives that echo her experiences as a Marine.
“At just over six months, I’m pretty sure it was the shortest of my deployments,” Moghbeli joked.
While some astronauts considered their quarters confining, Moghbeli offered a distinctly Marine perspective, “I never had my own personal room on any deployment, so I thought it was pretty luxurious.”
Her Marine Corps roots shaped her approach to leadership. As the only active-duty Marines in NASA’s Astronaut Corps, Moghbeli and Col. Nicole Mann share a distinction—both were selected as mission commanders on their rookie flights.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Moghbeli noted. “The Marine Corps teaches us to execute the commander’s intent: you tell us what needs to get done and why, and we figure out how to make it happen.”
The responsibilities she faced in orbit were extraordinary yet familiar. Over 199 days, Moghbeli’s team conducted more than 250 experiments, including groundbreaking work such as 3D printing using human cells to explore organ creation and advancing fiber-optic technology.
“We were the pilots, the scientists, the maintainers, the doctors, the loadmasters, the barbers—everything,” Moghbeli said. “As Marines, you know what it’s like to operate without the luxury of stepping away.”
Her return to HMLA-367 was also about honoring those who shaped her career. Moghbeli shared the story of Capt. David Seth “Sniper” Mitchell, a fellow Scarface pilot who volunteered for an early deployment to Afghanistan.
“There was a need to fill, and Sniper knew that if he didn’t volunteer, someone else would have to go,” she recounted. “So, with the attitude of ‘if not me, then who?’ Sniper said, ‘Send me.’”
Mitchell was killed in 2009 during combat operations in Afghanistan, a loss that remains deeply personal to Moghbeli. His sacrifice, she said, embodies the essence of being a Marine—answering the call, regardless of the risk.
“We do what we do in any clime and place, knowing the ultimate risk we face so that others do not have to,” Moghbeli said.
Reflecting on her path—from combat missions in a Cobra to commanding a mission in space—Moghbeli invoked a shared ethos of perseverance. She compared NASA’s mantra, “Failure is not an option,” to Maj. Gen. Oliver Smith’s famous words during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, “Retreat? Hell, we’re just attacking in another direction.”
As the evening concluded, Moghbeli left the Marines of Scarface with a final challenge:
“Let us carry that pride—not ego, but pride—with us every day. It is our duty to define our legacy with honor.”
For Scarface, Lt. Col. Jasmin Moghbeli is not only an astronaut; she remains one of their own—a Marine whose journey to the stars began in the cockpit of a Cobra.
Story by 1st Lt. James Estillore
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing