Nasa opens applications for next generation of lunar astronauts
Nasa has launched a callout for new astronaut candidates to live and work on the moon as part of its Artemis program.
Applications open until December deadline
The US space agency announced this expansion during an air show at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. Candidates must submit their applications by 11.59pm ET on Thursday, 3 December. Successful applicants will help shape humanity's future in space while building a base on the moon. The agency plans to make final selections in late 2027 before beginning training for the next class.
Strict requirements for new recruits
All applicants must be US citizens holding a master's degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Medical qualifications and pilot training are also mandatory alongside two years of doctoral program work. Pilots specifically need 750 hours as commander on a high-performance jet or 1,000 hours in rotary-wing aircraft. The current corps includes 32 active astronauts after accepting 10 new members from over 8,000 applicants last year.
Ambitions extend to Mars missions
Leaders aim to return Americans to the moon in 2028 with support from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Jared Isaacman stated that selected people could walk on the Moon and pioneer systems for Mars crews. According to Scott Tingle, this opportunity allows individuals to become part of an explorer tradition that expanded the limits of discovery. Since the 1960s, Nasa has trained 370 candidates for increasingly challenging missions across the solar system.
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