NASA Opens Moon Astronaut Applications

Residents of the United States can apply to join NASA's next group of astronauts, a cohort tasked with living and working on the lunar surface. The agency is accepting applications through December 3 for candidates who will test spacecraft and operate within a future moon base. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed the scope of these duties in a statement released on Saturday.

The selection criteria require applicants to be U.S. citizens with a master's degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math field. A recent policy update now includes master's-level nursing degrees within the STEM definition. Anna Schneider, a NASA spokesperson, told NPR on Sunday that nursing degrees were previously excluded but now meet the minimum educational requirement.

Applicants must also demonstrate at least three years of professional experience related to their field after completing their degree. As an alternative, NASA will consider candidates who are currently enrolled in a STEM PhD program. The agency also accepts medical doctors or pilots who possess extensive flight experience in lieu of the master's degree and work experience requirements.

The application process remains highly competitive. During the previous astronaut selection cycle, NASA received more than 8,000 applications and chose only 10 candidates. There is no official age restriction for applicants. If selected, new astronauts will undergo a two-year training program that prepares them for difficult missions, including landings near the moon's South Pole.

NASA currently maintains a corps of 32 active astronauts. Since the agency began its missions in the 1960s, it has selected 370 individuals for astronaut training. The starting salary for the new class is $164,395. Isaacman stated that these missions will demand technical excellence, sound judgment, teamwork, and courage from the selected Americans.

The agency aims to return humans to the moon in 2028, which will be the first time since 1972. To support this goal, NASA is working with private companies including Blue Origin and SpaceX to develop necessary spacecraft and systems. Isaacman expressed confidence during a November 7 press conference that the Artemis III mission will launch in 2027.