NASA Opens Applications for New Artemis Astronaut Class

NASA is accepting applications for a new astronaut class to help grow its Artemis program, officials announced Saturday during a Kennedy Space Center air show promoting lunar exploration as well as advances in aviation and technology.

Aspiring astronauts have between now and Dec. 3 to submit their applications. NASA expects to make its final selection by late 2027, with the new candidates beginning their training by early 2028.

NASA's last call for new astronauts was two years ago. More than 8,000 applied, with 10 making the final cut in September 2025. With only 32 active astronauts, the space agency needs more recruits as it looks to expand humanity's presence beyond low-Earth orbit.

"We have far more work than we have astronauts," Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik told the Associated Press on Saturday.

By then "we're going to have people on the moon — so don't delay," Bresnik urged potential candidates.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens with college degrees and professional work experience. The two years of mandatory training can be grueling, and it could take another several years on top of that before finally rocketing into space.

"It's important for them to realize most of that work is not going to the moon, right?" Artemis III's Frank Rubio told the AP. "That will be about 1% of your experience. What you're doing is contributing to the mission of going to the moon."

This will be NASA's 25th astronaut class since the original Mercury Seven in 1959.

The moon base will materialize as more rovers, robots, structures and power grids are launched.

Sources

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