Apply to Be a NASA Astronaut. Opportunity is open to the general public.
NASA is Calling YOU: Apply to Be a NASA Astronaut. Don't miss this unique opportunity to be a 'Star sailor.' The term “astronaut” means 'star sailor' in Greek.
Become A NASA Astronaut
NASA astronauts have been traveling to space for more than six decades and living there continuously since 2000. Now, NASA’s Artemis program is preparing to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon. The Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will carry humans farther into space than they have gone before—for missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars.
NASA is accepting applications for astronauts
Astronaut requirements have changed with NASA’s goals and missions. Today, to be considered for an astronaut position, applicants must meet the following qualifications:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a master’s degree* in a STEM field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics, from an accredited institution.
- 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.
- Be able to successfully complete the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical.
*The master’s degree requirement can also be met by:
- 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.
Astronaut candidates must also have skills in leadership, teamwork, and communication.
Artemis Generation astronauts will explore and conduct experiments where humans have never been: the lunar South Pole.
NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board reviews the applications and assesses each candidate’s qualifications. The board then invites a small group of the most highly qualified candidates for interviews at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Of those interviewed, about half are invited back for second interviews. From that group, NASA’s new astronaut candidates are selected. They report for training at Johnson and spend the next two years learning basic astronaut skills like spacewalking, operating the space station, flying T-38 jet planes and controlling a robotic arm.
With NASA’s plans for the future of exploration, new astronauts will fly farther into space than ever before on lunar missions and may be the first humans to fly onto Mars.
SEE 'BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT' FOR FAQ
