Dreaming of Space? NASA Invites Applications for Future Astronauts in Pioneering Moon and Mars Missions

NASA is currently seeking new astronauts, inviting applications from those aspiring to follow in Neil Armstrong's footsteps. With less than a month to apply, potential candidates should be prepared for frequent travel. Successful applicants will undergo an intensive two-year training and evaluation period, meeting various physical requirements.

Those chosen may become part of NASA's Artemis program, contributing to moon missions later this decade. NASA emphasizes that exploring the Moon in the 2020s will serve as crucial preparation for future Mars missions in the 2030s.

Astronauts: From Star Sailors to Exoplanet Explorers

The term "astronaut" originates from Greek, meaning "star sailor," encompassing all crew members launched aboard NASA spacecraft for orbital missions. It remains the title for those selected to join NASA's astronaut corps.

Since its inception, NASA has chosen 360 astronaut candidates, including 299 men and 61 women, with diverse backgrounds. Over the years, astronauts have voyaged to the moon, solar system probes have explored celestial bodies, and space instruments have identified thousands of exoplanets.

Human space exploration evolved with significant milestones, from Yuri Gagarin's orbit in 1961 to Alan Shepard's suborbital flight. President Kennedy's ambitious goal in 1961 led to the Apollo program, achieving the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

Following this, Project Gemini and Viking explored space and Mars, respectively. Subsequently, space stations like Salyut 1 and Skylab were launched, marking a new era of orbital laboratories and scientific research.

While human space exploration has been confined to low-Earth orbit since Apollo, unmanned probes have revealed fascinating aspects of our solar system and beyond, including the potential for life on moons like Europa and Enceladus. Recent advancements allow the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres, shaping the ongoing era of exoplanet discovery that began in 1995.

Application for New NASA Astronauts Now Open

NASA has a rich history of space travel spanning over six decades, with continuous human habitation in space since 2000. The Artemis program is set to make history by landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon, utilizing the Orion spacecraft atop the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

This ambitious project aims to extend human exploration beyond previous limits, with missions planned for the Moon and, eventually, Mars.

Applications for new NASA astronauts are open until April 2, offering a full-time position based in Houston, Texas, with an annual salary of $152,258 (£119,394).

While applicants don't necessarily need to be astronauts, NASA maintains stringent criteria, requiring candidates to be US citizens with a master's degree in a STEM field or equivalent qualifications. Eligible degrees include engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics.

Candidates can meet the master's degree requirement through various paths, such as two years of progress toward a related Ph.D., completion of a medical doctorate, or finishing a test pilot school program. Successful applicants must also pass the rigorous NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical, which assesses factors like eyesight and blood pressure.

Selected candidates will undergo approximately two years of training, covering essential astronaut skills like spacewalking, robotics, leadership, and teamwork. After training, they will join the active astronaut corps, becoming eligible for spaceflight assignments. Some may even have the opportunity to visit the International Space Station (ISS) before participating in lunar or Martian missions under the Artemis program.