In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Col. Ayers reflects on mentorship, teamwork and building the next generation of warriors and astronauts. From combat missions in the F-22 Raptor to more than five months aboard the International Space Station, Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers ’11 has seen it all.

1. Leadership is fluid: Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.
On Dragon and the ISS, command shifted between Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. Everyone alternated between being commander and flight engineer, showing that strong teams normalize moving between leading and supporting roles.

2. Team care starts with self‑care.
Vapor repeatedly links sleep, rest, hydration and health to leadership performance. You can’t be present for others if you’re exhausted or burned out; taking care of yourself is a leadership duty, not a luxury.

3. People first, mission second (to enable mission success).
Whether on deployment with 300 personnel or in space with seven, Col. Ayers focuses on taking care of the human — family issues, logistics, burnout and emotions — trusting that performance and mission execution follow.

4. Trust is built long before the crisis.
ISS emergency training with all seven crew, plus years of joint training in multiple countries, builds shared understanding and trust. When emergencies happen, the crew isn’t figuring each other out for the first time.

5. Quiet, thoughtful leadership can be incredibly powerful.
Takuya Onishi’s style — observant, calm, speaks only when it matters and brings thoughtful items for others — shows that you don’t need to be loud to command respect. When he spoke, everyone listened.

6. Leadership means being fully present, especially on others’ hard days.
In both combat and space, you can’t “hide” when someone’s struggling. Being reachable, attentive and emotionally available is a core leadership behavior, not a soft add‑on.

7. Normalize mistakes and share lessons learned.
From F‑22 sorties to NASA operations, it’s expected that you openly admit errors and pass on lessons so others don’t repeat them. A culture where “experience is what you get right after you need it” only works if people share that experience.

8. Plan for “seasons” of intensity, not permanent balance.
She frames life as seasons: Some are sprints (deployments, intense training, big trips); others are for recovery. Wise leaders anticipate these cycles, push hard when needed, then deliberately create room to reset afterward.

9. Model the behavior you want your team to adopt.
If the commander is always first in, last out, everyone else feels pressure to match that. By visibly protecting her own rest and home life, she gives permission for others to do the same and avoid burnout.

10. Lean on — and be — a support system.
Col. Ayers’s twin sister, long‑term friends and professional peers form a lifelong support network she turns to when she fails, doubts herself, or hits something “insurmountable.” Great leaders both rely on and serve as those trusted people for others.

0:00:00 – Introduction & Vapor’s Journey (Academy, F‑22, NASA)
0:00:38 – Launch Scrub, Second Attempt & What a Rocket Launch Feels Like
0:03:33 – First Moments in Space, Floating & Seeing Earth (Overview Effect)
0:06:11 – Leadership & Teamwork in Space: Roles, Trust, and Small-Crew Dynamics
0:10:19 – Multinational Crews & Leadership Lessons from Other Cultures
0:14:47 – No‑Notice F‑22 Deployment & Leading a Squadron in Combat
0:18:14 – Managing Burnout: Scheduling, Human Factors & “Crew‑10 Can Do Hard Things”
0:19:46 – Self‑Care as Team Care: Seasons of Life, Rest, and Being Present
0:26:02 – Family, Being an Aunt, and Balancing a Demanding Career
0:28:14 – Life After Space: Mentoring New Astronauts & Evolving as a Leader

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers is a trailblazing pilot, leader and astronaut whose journey began at the United States Air Force Academy, where she graduated in 2011 with a degree in mathematics. An accomplished F-22 Raptor pilot, Ayers is one of the few women ever to fly the world’s most advanced stealth fighter — and she’s one of even fewer to command them in formation for combat training missions.

Col. Ayers earned her wings through years of training and operational excellence, logging over 200 flight hours in combat and playing a critical role in advancing tactical aviation. Her exceptional performance led to her selection in 2021 by NASA as a member of Astronaut Group 23, an elite class of 10 chosen from among 12,000 applicants.

As a NASA astronaut candidate, Col. Ayers completed intensive training at Johnson Space Center, which included spacewalk preparation, robotics, survival training, systems operations and Russian language. Now qualified for spaceflight, she stands on the threshold of a new chapter that led her to the International Space Station.

Throughout her career, Col. Ayers has exemplified the Academy's core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence in All We Do. Her journey from cadet to combat aviator to astronaut is a testament to resilience, determination and a passion for pushing boundaries.

Learn more about NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers