NASA just announced the first 9 astronauts to fly SpaceX and Boeing's brand-new spaceships - here's who they are

Boeing is planning to fly one of its own employees as a third crewmember on the company's inaugural flight of the CST-100 Starliner, the Washington Post reported.

Here are the newly selected NASA astronauts:

Boe, who was selected as an astronaut in 2000, is arguably one of the most experienced pilots in the Commercial Crew Cadre, the group of four astronauts who have been testing SpaceX's and Boeing's spacecraft.

As a retired Air Force colonel and test pilot, Boe has flown for more than 6,000 hours inside 50 different aircraft. He also piloted two space shuttle missions to and from orbit around Earth.

Boe is part of the mission that will fly the first crewed Boeing test flight, currently scheduled for mid-2019.

In addition to NASA's eight current astronauts who will fly on the first crewed Boeing and SpaceX missions, there's also retired astronaut Chris Ferguson.

Ferguson is now the first "corporate astronaut" — he's now on Boeing's payroll, but will be the third crewmember on Boeing's first crewed test flight, according to the Washington Post.

Ferguson is a logical pick, since he's worked on the CST-100 Starliner program for many years, and was also a space shuttle commander, space shuttle pilot, and Navy test pilot.

He's is part of the mission that will fly the first crewed Boeing test flight, currently scheduled for mid-2019.

Mann is part of the mission that will fly the first crewed Boeing test flight, currently scheduled for mid-2019.

Selected as an astronaut in 2000, Behnken has flown twice into orbit on NASA's space shuttle Endeavour. He's also an experienced Air Force test pilot with more than 1,500 hours of flight on 25 different aircraft.

Like Williams, he's worked hand-in-hand with Boeing, SpaceX, and NASA to improve the Crew Dragon and CST-100 Starliner spaceships, so he's well-equipped to fly them.

He also understands the risks of spaceflight first-hand: Behnken was waiting near the runway on which space shuttle Columbia was supposed to landin 2003. That's when he heard that the ship had broken apart during atmospheric reentry, killing its seven-member crew.

Behnken is part of the mission that will fly the first crewed SpaceX test flight, currently scheduled for February 2019.

Hurley is also a two-time space shuttle pilot and was also selected in 2000 by NASA.

Like Behnken and Boe, Hurley was a test pilot in the military. He logged more than 5,000 hours in 25 different aircraft for the Navy. Hurley has spent the past three years working on the Commercial Crew Program to provide ideas, hands-on testing, and feedback — so he's very knowledgeable of both spacecraft.

Hurley is part of the mission that will fly the first crewed SpaceX test flight, currently scheduled for February 2019.

Williams grew up in Massachusetts, is a Navy veteran, and has been a NASA astronaut since 1998. She has flown inside three different spaceships on two missions, served as commander of the International Space Station, lived in orbit for 322 days, and, in her previous career, piloted 30 different types of aircraft.

She's also been providing crucial feedback to Boeing and SpaceX as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

"Five years ago, this would have been like, 'No way, what are we doing asking commercial providers to be able to do this?'" Williams previously told Business Insider. "Now it feels like a natural progression for space travel."

Williams is part of the mission that will fly the second crewed Boeing test flight, which will stay at the International Space Station, possibly in 2019.

Cassada, who has yet to fly to space, is part of the mission that will fly the second crewed Boeing test flight, which will stay at the International Space Station, possibly in 2019.

Glover was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013 and completed his training two years later. Though he has yet to visit space, he's no rookie to flying: He remains a test pilot and commander in the US Navy. Glover has flown more than 2,000 hours in 40 aircraft, has made 400 landings on an aircraft carrier, and completed 24 combat missions.

"This is a test pilot's dream," Glover said Friday.

Glover is part of the mission that will fly the second crewed SpaceX test flight, which will stay at the International Space Station, possibly in 2019.

Hopkins is part of the mission that will fly the second crewed SpaceX test flight, which will stay at the International Space Station, possibly in 2019.