Research astronaut Kellie Gerardi has announced the arrival of her second daughter, Maxine Quinn, with husband Steven Baumruk. The newborn joins her 8-year-old sister Delta Victoria, continuing the family's tradition of space-inspired names.
Gerardi shared the news on Instagram on April 6, posting photos of her newborn with the caption: "Mission Success, and Space Baby has a name. So grateful to officially introduce you to our sweet girl, Maxine Quinn. Welcome to the world, Max Q! You're going to love it here."
Maxine's nickname "Max Q" references a critical moment in spaceflight—the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure on a rocket during launch. Her sister Delta's name comes from "Delta-v," a physics term describing the change in velocity needed for spacecraft maneuvers.
In a follow-up post, Gerardi reflected on the emotional journey to motherhood: "The past ~48 hours have been a blur of the best kind. I'm forever grateful we didn't hit the brakes too soon on this IVF journey to complete our family."
The 37-year-old astronaut has been open about her fertility struggles, having experienced four miscarriages before this pregnancy. She announced her pregnancy in August with cautious optimism, sharing an emotional ultrasound video with the caption: "Seeing that flicker is everything to me. We're still far from out of the woods, but if me and this little cheerio-sized miracle can make it another few weeks together, I might finally graduate from my IVF clinic this time."
Gerardi concluded her recent announcement with gratitude: "I'm still in pain and am mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically exhausted to my core, and I'm so grateful for all of it. I've been reading every single kind comment and my heart is aching in the best way from the love."