Somewhere near the cold rim of the moon's south pole, a patient project is taking shape: a permanent outpost meant to turn visits into a long human presence. NASA has now opened a narrow door for people willing to help build it and, perhaps one day, to live within it. The call arrives in a long tradition of exploration, where each generation of explorers prepares ground for the next, and where the rules of entry say as much about the kind of future being imagined as the destination itself.
NASA Opens Astronaut Applications for Planned South Pole Moon Base, Closing 3 December
Ten selected from more than 8,000 applicants
Mark
Why does this recruitment matter more than a routine astronaut call?
Mimi
Because the job description is different. These people are being hired for a base, not just a mission: testing habitats, helping set up power systems, and possibly living on the moon.
Mark
And the last class was small, wasn't it?
Mimi
Ten selected from more than 8,000 applicants, after the 2024 recruitment. That is the benchmark for how competitive this is.
Luke
Can we say how many will be picked this time?
Mimi
The reporting doesn't give a number.
Luke
Then we shouldn't guess. What else is unclear?
Mimi
Whether anyone from this class actually walks on the moon. Isaacman said they could, which is a possibility, not a promise.
Mark
What about the timing?
Mimi
Applications close 3 December, selections come by late 2027, then about two years of training before spaceflight eligibility.
Luke
So the earliest assignments are years away, and the base itself is described only as planned.
Mimi
Right. The three phases are a plan, and this recruitment is the step that puts people behind it.
Le Pouls
- Applications close on 3 December, leaving only a short window for candidates to answer a call to help build a lunar base.
- The bar is exacting: a relevant master's degree, a qualifying medical doctorate, or test pilot training, with U.S. citizenship required.
- NASA's three-phase plan is moving from robotic scouting toward regular crewed visits and then sustained life on the moon.
- After a 2024 recruitment drew more than 8,000 applicants for just 10 places, competition looks fierce again, with final selections due by late 2027 and roughly two years of training to follow.
Somewhere near the cold rim of the moon's south pole, a patient project is taking shape: a permanent outpost meant to turn visits into a long human presence. NASA has now opened a narrow door for people willing to help build it and, perhaps one day, to live within it. The call arrives in a long tradition of exploration, where each generation of explorers prepares ground for the next, and where the rules of entry say as much about the kind of future being imagined as the destination itself.
NASA has opened applications for a new class of astronauts, and the window is brief: submissions close on 3 December. The agency wants people who can help build its planned base near the moon's South Pole, and who could eventually live and work there.
The recruitment is part of a three-phase plan announced earlier this year. It begins with robotic missions and rovers exploring the surface, moves to more frequent astronaut visits alongside construction of power systems and habitats, and ends with astronauts living on the moon for longer stretches. The new recruits would test spacecraft and habitats, develop technology, and prepare infrastructure, and some could join lunar crews. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said those chosen could walk on the moon, work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems that may one day carry crews to Mars.
The requirements are specific. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a relevant master's degree, a qualifying medical doctorate, or specialised test pilot training, and pilots must meet minimum flight-hour thresholds.
The odds are steep. Last time, in 2024, NASA chose 10 candidates from more than 8,000 applicants. Final selections are expected by late 2027, and those chosen will then train for about two years before any flight assignment.
NASA has opened applications for a new class of astronauts, and the window is short: submissions close on 3 December. The agency is looking for people who could help build, and eventually live and work at, its planned base near the moon's South Pole.
The recruitment follows a plan NASA announced this year to establish a permanent presence there. The plan runs in three phases. The first is research and testing, with NASA and its commercial partners sending robotic missions and rovers to explore the lunar surface.
The second phase brings astronauts to the moon more regularly and begins construction of infrastructure, including power systems and habitats. The third establishes a sustained human presence, with astronauts living and working on the moon for longer stretches.
The new recruits are meant to train for and take part in all of it. Their duties will include testing new spacecraft and habitats, developing technology, and preparing the infrastructure a permanent lunar base will need. Those who are selected could also join crews living and working on the moon, and NASA's long-term plans include missions to Mars as well. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman put it this way: the people chosen could walk on the moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars.
The requirements are specific. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and meet one of several education or experience thresholds. These include a master's degree in a relevant science or engineering field, a qualifying medical doctorate, or specialised test pilot training. Pilots must also meet minimum flight-hour requirements.
The odds are steep. NASA last opened astronaut recruitment in 2024. The following year it selected 10 candidates from more than 8,000 applicants.
The timeline is long. NASA expects to announce its final selections by late 2027. Those who make the cut will then undergo around two years of training before they become eligible for spaceflight assignments.
Citations marquantes
The people we select could walk on the moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars.— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
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