On a Saturday in late autumn, NASA opened its doors again to people who wish to become astronauts, the first such call since 2024. It is an invitation to a profession that asks for a great deal before it gives anything back: years of expertise, a body and mind that can withstand confinement and hazard, and a willingness to train for two years in a life that will not bend to ordinary schedules. The agency pairs this call with ambitions that stretch across generations, a lunar South Pole, a Moon Base, and perhaps someday Mars, and so the hiring becomes a quiet act of faith that the human story c
NASA Reopens Astronaut Applications for the First Time in Two Years, Eyeing the Moon and Mars
Only 10 applicants made the cut.
Mark
Why does it matter that this is the first call since 2024?
Mimi
Astronaut classes are rare and small. The last search drew over 8,000 applications and produced 10 astronauts, so each new call shapes who flies for years.
Mark
And what are they being hired to do?
Mimi
NASA's language points to the lunar South Pole, a Moon Base, and eventually Mars. Isaacman said the people chosen could walk on the Moon and help pioneer the systems that carry crews to Mars.
Luke
Careful with "could." Nothing here says any of these 10-ish candidates will actually go to Mars. That's framed as potential.
Mimi
Fair. The confirmed part is the application process, the requirements, and the late 2027 announcement.
Mark
What are the requirements?
Mimi
US citizenship, a STEM master's or equivalent like a medical degree or test-pilot training, and three years of relevant experience. Then medical, psychiatric, security, and water survival tests.
Luke
The 8,000 and 10 figures are NASA's numbers for the last round. We don't know how many it plans to select this time.
Mark
Anything about the job itself?
Mimi
Two years of training, irregular hours, no remote work, and a salary of $164,395.
Luke
And no timeline for any Mars mission appears in this reporting, so that part stays open.
Der Puls
- NASA has reopened astronaut applications, the first call since 2024, and the competition is already fierce, with roughly 8,000 applicants fighting for just 10 seats last time.
- Applicants face a gauntlet of drug tests, security investigations, vision and psychiatric exams, and a water survival test before they are even considered.
- The job demands two years of training, irregular hours, no remote work, and long stints in hazardous, confined spaces, for a salary of $164,395.
- Selection is set for late 2027, with the new class aimed at lunar South Pole missions and a Moon Base, and possibly the first steps toward Mars.
On a Saturday in late autumn, NASA opened its doors again to people who wish to become astronauts, the first such call since 2024. It is an invitation to a profession that asks for a great deal before it gives anything back: years of expertise, a body and mind that can withstand confinement and hazard, and a willingness to train for two years in a life that will not bend to ordinary schedules. The agency pairs this call with ambitions that stretch across generations, a lunar South Pole, a Moon Base, and perhaps someday Mars, and so the hiring becomes a quiet act of faith that the human story continues beyond the present decade. The selection will not be known until late 2027, and until then the question of who will go, and where, remains open.
On Saturday, NASA opened applications for its next class of astronaut candidates, the first time it has done so since 2024. The call comes with a demanding set of requirements and a destination list that reaches for the lunar South Pole and, possibly, Mars.
Administrator Jared Isaacman framed the hiring as part of what the agency calls a "Golden Age of innovation and exploration." The people chosen, he suggested, could walk on the Moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems that will one day carry crews to Mars. NASA public affairs specialist Anna Schneider described the ideal applicant as someone who embodies American ingenuity and determination, with technical expertise, sound judgment, leadership, teamwork, and clear communication.
The bar is high. Applicants must be US citizens holding a STEM master's degree or an equivalent background, and they need three years of relevant experience. Those who pass the paperwork still face drug tests, security checks, medical and psychiatric exams, and a water survival test. The job itself means two years of training, irregular hours, and no remote work.
The last search drew more than 8,000 applications for 10 places. The new class is expected to be announced in late 2027, and whether its members ultimately reach the Moon Base or Mars remains a possibility rather than a certainty.
On Saturday, NASA opened applications for its next class of astronaut candidates, the first time the agency has taken applications for the job since 2024. The posting comes with a long list of requirements and a destination list that includes the lunar South Pole and, possibly, Mars.
Jared Isaacman, the agency's administrator, framed the hiring in a press release as part of what NASA calls a "Golden Age of innovation and exploration." In his words, the people chosen could walk on the Moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will eventually carry crews to Mars.
The entry bar is high. Applicants must be US citizens with a completed master's degree in a STEM field, or an equivalent background such as a medical degree, doctoral work, or test-pilot training. They also need three full years of relevant work experience.
Anna Schneider, a NASA public affairs specialist, described the kind of person the agency is looking for. NASA seeks candidates who represent the best of American ingenuity, skill, and determination, she said, and who show technical expertise, operational judgment, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, along with the ability to carry out demanding missions safely and effectively.
The odds are steep. NASA said it received more than 8,000 applications in its previous talent search, and only 10 applicants were selected.
Passing the paperwork is only the start. Candidates must clear drug tests, a background security investigation, vision testing, and other medical and psychiatric exams. They also have to pass a water survival test and be willing to spend long stretches in hazardous and confined spaces.
The terms of the job are plainly stated. Selected candidates go through two years of training, work irregular hours, and cannot work remotely. The annual salary is $164,395.
NASA expects to announce the new class in late 2027. Whether those candidates ultimately fly to the Moon Base or toward Mars is not settled by this announcement; the agency describes those missions as possibilities the class could help build toward.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
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.— Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator
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