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NASA is looking for new astronauts for missions to the Moon and Mars, but theres a catch Credits: Social Media
By Paul Fogarty

NASA is looking for new astronauts for missions to the Moon and Mars, but theres a catch

By Paul Fogarty

NASA is searching for its next generation of astronauts to embark on missions further than any human has gone before but the job specification means only the best of the best will be considered.

Humans have been pushing the boundaries of science in their efforts to explore the frontiers of space since the late 1950s and after the last Apollo Moon landing in 1972, NASA is now looking for candidates to revisit Earths satellite and to potentially embark on missions further afield as the agency continues to look at sending a manned mission to Mars.

NASA is looking for new generation of astronauts

NASA posted an advertisement asking for potential astronaut candidates on March 5, the same day its previous batch of space-faring explorers graduated from their training program.

Future generations of astronauts will be considered for NASAs upcoming Artemis program which will involve new missions to explore the Moons South Pole which will serve as a precursor to the first manned mission to Mars.

NASAs astronaut job advertisement states that only a select group of candidates will be invited for interviews at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, of whom about half will be invited back for second interviews. From that group, new astronaut candidates will be chosen.

Once selected for the training program, candidates will spend the next two years learning basic astronaut skills such as spacewalking, how to operate the International Space Station, flying T-38 jet planes and controlling a robotic arm.

The advertisement also states that the job will require extensive travel. No kidding, 240,000 miles to the Moon isnt exactly a short commute. �

New Astronauts
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 5: NASAs Astronaut Group XXIII graduate astronauts wave to the crowd when they are introduced at the graduation ceremony Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at Johnson Space Center in Houston. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

What you need to apply

Unsurprisingly, the selection process to become an astronaut is extremely competitive as only the most exceptional of applicants will be chosen.

For the previous batch of astronaut candidates, only 10 were chosen from a pool of more than 12,000 applicants.

In order to be considered for NASAs astronaut program, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen
  2. Have a masters degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics, from an accredited institution.
  3. Have a minimum of three years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion (or 1,000 Pilot-in-Command hours with at least 850 of those hours in high-performance jet aircraft for pilots) For medical doctors, time in residency can count towards experience and must be completed by June 2025.
  4. Be able to successfully complete the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical.

If you dont quite meet the requirement for a masters degree in a STEM field, there are a few exceptions to this rule which mean you may still be eligible:

  • Two years of work towards a doctoral program in a related science, technology, engineering, or math field.
  • Completed Doctor of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, or related medical degree
  • Completion (or current enrollment that will result in completion by June 2025) of a nationally recognized test pilot school program.

Successful candidates will receive a salary of $152,258.

Applications opened on March 5 and potential candidates have until April 2, 2024, to submit their applications via USAJOBS – so, if you want the chance to become an astronaut, you better be quick.