NASA Adds Ten new Astronauts too Ranks, Eyes Return to Moon and Beyond
HOUSTON – NASA today announced teh selection of ten new astronaut candidates, poised to contribute to the agency’s aspiring plans for lunar missions and eventual journeys to mars. The diverse class, revealed during a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, represents a broad range of backgrounds and expertise, including pilots, engineers, and scientists.
This new cohort arrives at a pivotal moment for space exploration. NASA is accelerating its Artemis program, aiming to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon as a stepping stone for future expeditions to the Red Planet. Competition with China to achieve lunar milestones is intensifying, adding urgency to the agency’s goals. The selected candidates will undergo intensive training to prepare for potential assignments on Artemis missions and beyond, shaping the future of american spaceflight.
Among the ten chosen are individuals with extraordinary credentials. Katherine Spies, 43, of San Diego, brings a strong engineering background with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and a master’s in design engineering from harvard University. She is a graduate of the U.S. naval Test Pilot school and accumulated over 2,000 flight hours piloting more than 30 types of aircraft as a U.S.Marine Corps AH-1 attack helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot. Most recently, Spies served as director of flight test engineering at Gulfstream aerospace Corporation.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of this new class, stating, “You are America’s best and brightest, and we’re going to need america’s best and brightest, because we have a bold exploration plan for the future.” He reiterated the agency’s commitment to returning to the Moon, establishing a permanent presence, and ultimately venturing to Mars.
Duffy also underscored the competitive landscape, declaring, “I’ll be damned if the chinese beat NASA, or beat America, back to the moon. We are going to win.” The new astronaut candidates will begin their two-year training program,encompassing spacecraft systems,survival training,and spaceflight operations,preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
