NASA Opens Applications for Next Astronaut Class to Support Moon and Mars Missions
NASA announced on November 7, 2026, that it is accepting applications for its next class of astronauts. Qualified U.S. citizens have until 11:59 p.m. EST on December 3, 2026, to apply online. NASA plans to choose the final candidates in late 2027. The selected individuals will join a team of 32 active astronauts training for missions to the Moon, a planned Moon Base, and future crewed flights to Mars. The opportunity offers American citizens with qualifying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics backgrounds a chance to participate directly in deep space exploration. Applicants need a relevant master's degree or equivalent medical or flight training, alongside at least three years of professional experience. Out of more than 8,000 people who applied during the last recruitment drive in 2024, NASA chose 10 candidates in 2025. These candidates undergo roughly two years of training to prepare for complex spaceflight tasks.
What was announced
NASA opened applications for its next astronaut candidate class on November 7, 2026. Interested U.S. citizens must submit their application materials online by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 3, 2026. The agency expects to announce its final selections in late 2027.
Applicants must hold U.S. citizenship and possess a master's degree in a STEM field, such as engineering, biological science, physical science, or computer science. Alternatively, applicants can meet the education requirement through two years of qualifying doctoral work, a qualifying medical degree, or completion of a recognized Test Pilot School program by July 2027. Candidates must also have three years of related professional experience. Pilots can meet this experience through specified flight hours, while medical doctors can count residency completed by July 2027. Applicants must pass NASA's long-duration flight physical and demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.
What it means
Selected candidates will train at Johnson Space Center in Houston to join 32 active members of the astronaut corps. Training covers spacewalking, lunar geology, and high-performance aircraft operations. The new candidates will prepare for Artemis missions near the lunar South Pole, operations at the Moon Base, and eventual crewed missions to Mars.
This is NASA's first recruitment opening since 2024. In that round, NASA received over 8,000 applications and selected 10 candidates in 2025. Since the 1960s, NASA has selected 370 people to train as astronaut candidates.
What the announcement does not tell us
The announcement does not state how many candidates NASA intends to select in late 2027. It does not list the salary range or pay grades for astronaut candidates. Additionally, NASA does not provide specific launch dates for the crewed Mars missions or specify when construction of the Moon Base will finish.
How this was written
This analysis was written with AI from the official announcement below, using only facts that announcement states. The quoted wording is NASA News Releases’s own. Always check the original before acting on anything here.
NASA is looking for the explorers who will help write the next chapter of human spaceflight. Applications are now open for the agency’s next class of astronauts, who will join NASA as America returns to the Moon, builds the Moon Base, and lays the groundwork for the first crewed missions to Mars. The next generation […]
Opens www.nasa.gov
More from NASA News Releases
- NASA Awards Moon Base Transportation, Technology, Science Projects7 November 2026
- APOD: 2026 November 7 – De Gerlache-Kocher Massif7 November 2026
- M30’s Sparkling Stars6 November 2026
- Supercomputing Tech Demo Schedule6 November 2026
- APOD: 2026 November 6 – A Farewell to Swift6 November 2026
This content is for informational purposes only and is not professional advice. Specifications, prices, plan tiers, and features change frequently and may differ from what is shown here; verify current details on the manufacturer's or company's official page before purchasing. Ratings are based on analysis of published documentation, not independent lab testing.