Looking for a career that’s out of this world? NASA announced Saturday it is recruiting for its next class of astronauts.
The space agency said successful candidates could get a front-row seat to some historic missions, including a return to the moon under its Artemis program and, eventually, the first crewed missions to Mars.
“This is an extraordinary time to join NASA’s astronaut corps,” Jared Isaacman, the space agency’s administrator, said in a statement.
“The people we select could walk on the moon, live and work at the moon base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars.”
To become a space traveler, applicants must have U.S. citizenship and a master’s degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), although medical degrees could also be considered.
NASA has chosen 370 astronaut candidates since the 1960s, with 32 currently serving in its active astronaut corps. Those selected in the latest recruitment round will undergo extensive training, including spacewalks, lunar geology and flying high-performance aircraft.
Following its last recruitment drive in 2024, which attracted more than 8,000 applicants, NASA selected just 10 candidates in 2025.
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