NASA Opens Applications for New Astronaut Class to Support Artemis Moon Missions

NASA Accepts Applications for New Moon Mission Astronaut Class

NASA is accepting applications for a new astronaut class to support the Artemis program, edmonton.citynews.ca reported on Saturday. The space agency announced the recruitment drive during a Kennedy Space Center air show, seeking candidates to help build a permanent lunar base and expand humanity’s presence beyond low-Earth orbit. The last call for applicants occurred two years ago, drawing over 8,000 submissions before 10 candidates made the final cut in September 2025. With only 32 active astronauts on the roster, the agency needs more recruits to keep pace with its workload.

The Tech TL;DR:
• NASA is actively recruiting its 25th astronaut class since the original Mercury Seven in 1959, responding to a current active roster of only 32 astronauts.
• The application window closes on December 3, with final selections expected by late 2027 and training slated to begin by early 2028.
• Updated educational qualifications now accept technical master’s degrees, medical degrees, completed test pilot programs, and nursing degrees alongside three years of professional experience.

Doctoral Students and Test Pilots Qualify for Selection

According to The New York Times, candidates who have completed at least two years toward a doctoral degree in a technical discipline are also eligible, along with medical doctors and graduates of test pilot programs holding a bachelor’s degree. The agency enforces no age limit and requires no specific 20/20 vision.

Selected Candidates Face Tight Competition and Training Timelines

Competition for the open slots remains extraordinarily tight. The New York Times reported that the previous recruitment cycle yielded an acceptance rate of less than 0.125 percent from its pool of over 8,000 applicants. Jared Isaacman, the agency’s administrator, emphasized in a statement that selectees may walk on the moon, live and work at the moon base, and help pioneer systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars. Selected candidates will undergo two years of mandatory training starting in early 2028, coinciding with the target year for returning humans to the lunar surface. Meanwhile, active crew members prepare for upcoming orbital milestones. Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik told The Associated Press that the agency carries far more work than available personnel, urging interested professionals to submit their paperwork before the December 3 deadline. Woody Hoburg, one of NASA’s 32 active astronauts, noted regarding the expanded mission scope, That’s definitely a new aspect that was not there when we joined. Patience is also essential for candidates, as noted by Artemis III’s Frank Rubio, whose 371 consecutive days in space stands as a U.S. endurance record.