NASA opens applications for new astronauts to live and work on the Moon
The US space agency NASA has started a new astronaut selection round for its Artemis program. Applications close on 3 December, with final selection expected in late 2027.
The US space agency NASA announced on Saturday that it is accepting applications for a new class of astronauts. The recruitment is part of the Artemis program, and those chosen could live and work on the Moon and help prepare the first crewed missions to Mars. The announcement came at an air show at Kennedy Space Center promoting lunar exploration, aviation and technology.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called it an extraordinary time to join the astronaut corps. In his words, the people selected could walk on the Moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help develop the systems that will eventually carry crews to Mars.
Timeline
Applications are due by 11.59pm Eastern Time on Thursday, 3 December. NASA expects to make its final selection in late 2027 so that training of the next group of astronaut candidates can begin. The previous round opened in 2024: out of more than 8,000 applicants, 10 new astronauts were accepted in September 2025.
Requirements
Only US citizens may apply. Candidates need a master's degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, medical qualifications, pilot training, or two years of work on a relevant doctoral program. Three years of related professional experience are also required.
Pilots must have either 750 hours as pilot-in-command of a high-performance jet, 1,500 total hours in another fixed-wing aircraft, or 1,000 total hours in a rotary-wing aircraft.
Background
Since the 1960s NASA has selected 370 people to train as astronaut candidates. The corps currently has 32 active astronauts. Agency leaders recently set out plans to return Americans to the Moon in 2028, and both SpaceX and Blue Origin intend to support a crewed lunar landing.
Scott Tingle, chief astronaut and chair of the Astronaut Selection Board at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, said becoming an astronaut is a chance to join a legacy of explorers and play a role in missions that will shape humanity's future in space.
