NASA opens applications for new astronaut class to support moon program
NASA is recruiting a new class of astronauts to help build a permanent lunar base under the Artemis program, with applications open until Dec. 3.
NASA has opened applications for a new astronaut class that will support its Artemis lunar program. Officials made the announcement on Saturday at a Kennedy Space Center air show focused on lunar exploration, aviation and technology. The agency's previous call for astronauts was two years ago, when more than 8,000 people applied and 10 were selected in September 2025. With only 32 active astronauts, NASA says it needs more recruits as it works to expand its presence beyond low-Earth orbit.
Applicants have until Dec. 3 to submit their forms. NASA expects to make its final selection by late 2027, with training beginning in early 2028, the year it plans to send astronauts back to the lunar surface. Candidates must be U.S. citizens with college degrees and professional work experience. Training is expected to last two years, and a spaceflight could take several more years after that.
The Artemis III crew, led by commander Randy Bresnik, is scheduled to launch next summer to practise docking with two lunar landers, one built by SpaceX and the other by Blue Origin. The mission will remain near Earth and serve as a rehearsal for the Artemis IV mission, which aims to land two astronauts near the lunar south pole the following year.