Select Language:
NASA has revealed its latest group of astronaut candidates, marking the next chapter in space exploration.
The selection was announced during a special event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Monday, where the agency introduced the 10 individuals chosen from a pool of nearly 8,000 applicants.
This year’s group features a noteworthy milestone: for the first time, there are more women than men among the new astronauts. One of the team members, Anna Menon, has already experienced space travel through a private mission, making her participation even more pioneering. Menon flew with billionaire Jared Isaacman aboard the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission last year, which achieved the historic milestone of the first private spacewalk.
The ages of the new astronauts range from 34 to 40, and some of them may soon become among the first humans to visit the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program. The inaugural mission, Artemis III, aims to send astronauts back to the lunar surface for the first time in over fifty years, with a launch planned no earlier than 2027, though schedules could shift. Several of these candidates might also take part in the first crewed mission to Mars.
The group was pictured at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, standing together from left to right: U.S. Army CW3 Ben Bailey, U.S. Air Force Maj. Cameron Jones, Katherine Spies, Anna Menon, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash, U.S. Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann, Dr. Lauren Edgar, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, and Dr. Imelda Muller.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy expressed pride in welcoming the new class of American explorers. “I’m honored to introduce the next generation of space pioneers,” he said. “More than 8,000 people applied—scientists, pilots, engineers, dreamers from every corner of our country. These 10 men and women demonstrate that in America, no matter where you start, there’s no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve—especially in space.”
The selected astronauts recently began a rigorous two-year training program at NASA Johnson, preparing them for missions aboard the International Space Station, lunar expeditions, and beyond. Their training includes learning robotics, survival skills for land and water scenarios, geology, foreign languages, space medicine, physiology, and conducting simulated spacewalks, as well as flying high-performance aircraft.
Once they complete their training, this new class will join NASA’s active astronaut corps, awaiting assignments for upcoming missions to the ISS and the Moon.
[Related: NASA’s Curiosity rover captures stunning panoramic images of Mars]
Add us on ChatGPT
Add us on Perplexity
