NASA is recruiting a new class of astronauts, and U.S. citizens can apply until 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 3. According to the agency, the recruits will join the effort to return Americans to the Moon, construct the Moon Base and prepare for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Selection schedule
NASA says it expects to choose the class in late 2027, at which point the new astronaut candidates will start their training. A federal job listing on USAJOBS fills in more detail. It says the agency anticipates announcing the group in the fall of 2027, and that selected candidates are expected to report for duty at Johnson Space Center in the winter of 2027/8. The whole process is estimated to last roughly one year.
The listing cautions that, given the expected number of applicants and the many assessment stages, applicants will receive few status updates. Only people invited to interview can ask for feedback. Anyone can check where an initial application stands by using the "Track this Application" link on the USAJOBS site, and the number of notices each person gets may differ. The announcement also allows more than one person to be selected.
What the new recruits will do
NASA describes the coming generation of astronauts as people who will train for work on the lunar surface and for living and working away from Earth. Those chosen will join the 32 astronauts currently active in the corps, studying spacewalking, lunar geology and the operation of high-performance aircraft, among other subjects.
The agency adds that astronauts will be sent on progressively harder missions near the lunar South Pole, with the aim of exploring more of the Moon than has been possible before. Through its Artemis missions, NASA says, it will also bring economic benefits and advance science, while establishing a lasting human presence on the Moon.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the people selected might one day walk on the Moon or work at the Moon Base, and could help create the systems and operations that eventually take crews to Mars. He said such missions will call for technical excellence, sound judgment, teamwork and courage. Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson put it more briefly, saying the window is open and the mission is waiting.
Scott Tingle, NASA's chief astronaut, also chairs the Astronaut Selection Board, and is based at Johnson Space Center in Houston. He said becoming an astronaut is more than a career opportunity. In his words, it offers a chance to join a legacy of explorers and to inspire future scientists, engineers and explorers.
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and hold a master's degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics discipline from an accredited institution. NASA names engineering, biological science, physical science and computer science as examples. The agency says the master's requirement can be satisfied in other ways:
- Two years finished toward a doctorate in a suitable technical area, namely engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics.
- A medical qualification: an MD, a DO, a physician assistant degree, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, a family nurse practitioner degree, or a similar medical credential.
- Graduation from, or present enrollment in, a nationally recognized Test Pilot School program that ends by July 2027. Where that program is the applicant's only advanced technical qualification, a STEM bachelor's degree is needed as well.
In addition, candidates must have at least three years of related professional experience gained after finishing the qualifying degree. Pilots can meet that standard in three ways, according to NASA:
- Flying high-performance jets: 750 hours as pilot in command.
- Flying other fixed-wing aircraft: 1,500 hours in total, of which 750 were as pilot in command.
- Flying helicopters or other rotary-wing aircraft: 1,000 hours in total, of which 300 were as pilot in command.
For physicians, time spent in residency may be counted toward the experience requirement, so long as it ends by July 2027. Every candidate also has to clear the flight physical NASA uses for long-duration astronauts, and show strong leadership, teamwork and communication skills.
How to apply
The USAJOBS listing explains that applicants fill out an online application, including an initial assessment and questionnaire, and attach the documents the announcement requires. A complete submission has to arrive before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes.
Some applicants will then be told, on the submission screen and by email, that they must take USA Hire assessments through a personal access link. The listing says to set aside at least 2.5 hours, though most people finish in less time, and a person who needs to pause can return using the same link. Applicants who have a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended can ask for a testing accommodation before they begin.
The assessments may be taken at any point while the announcement is open, but not later than 48 hours after it closes. At present, the listing puts the end of that window at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 3, 2026. An extension is not anticipated, but if one happens, the assessment deadline would move to 48 hours after the new closing date. Results may be kept on file for one year and applied to later jobs requiring the same assessments. The listing also urges people to apply early.
The last class
NASA previously opened applications in 2024. Of the more than 8,000 submissions, 10 astronaut candidates were chosen in 2025, and they are now partway through nearly two years of training. The agency says it has picked 370 astronaut candidates since the 1960s.
