Dec. 16, 2021 Explore. Discover. Dream. Former 1st FW pilot has a new mission to the stars On December 6, 2021, NASA announced their newest astronaut candidates. Among the ten individuals selected was previous 71st Fighter Training Squadron T-38 Talon and 27th Fighter Squadron F-22 Raptor pilot, U.S. Air Force Maj. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers.