Flight Surgeon, Virgin Galactic

Dr. Tarah Castleberry has been the Flight Surgeon for Virgin Galactic since August 2015. She is board certified in Aerospace Medicine, Family Medicine, and General Preventive Medicine. She graduated from Grand Canyon University with a degree in Biology and from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. She began her career with 7 years in the US Navy, earning a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and completing Aerospace Medicine residency training before serving as a flight surgeon, including a 2-year tour as the doctor for the Blue Angels Naval Flight Demonstration Team. Upon leaving Naval service, Tarah completed Family Medicine residency training at the Mayo Clinic Arizona then became a contracted NASA Flight Surgeon from 2009-2012. In this capacity, she provided support for US and International Partner astronaut operations in Russia and Kazakhstan as well as support for International Space Station missions.

In 2013, she became the program director for the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)/NASA Johnson Space Center Aerospace Medicine Residency program, training physicians in Aerospace Medicine. She served in that capacity until April 2017. She also served as the Program Director for the UTMB General Preventive Medicine Residency program from 2013-2018.  She is an associate professor in the department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at UTMB.