The Brief Little Elm native Rebecca Lawler has been selected as an astronaut candidate for NASA. The former Navy and test pilot was chosen from a pool of over 8,000 applicants after applying three times. She was just picked as an astronaut candidate for NASA. At 38, Lawler is a former Navy pilot and has most recently worked as a test pilot for United Airlines. When she got the call about being accepted as an astronaut candidate, she had to keep the news secret from all her family and friends.