NASA Opens Applications for 25th Astronaut Class to Expand Artemis Program

NASA is accepting applications for its 25th astronaut class, a move designed to bolster the Artemis program and support the agency's goal of establishing a permanent lunar base. The announcement was made on Saturday during a Kennedy Space Center air show, with the application window closing on December 3. This is the first such call in two years; the previous class in September 2025 saw more than 8,000 applicants, with 10 selected.

With only 32 active astronauts currently on the roster, NASA officials emphasize the need for more personnel to expand humanity's presence beyond low-Earth orbit. Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik told The Associated Press, "We have far more work than we have astronauts." NASA expects to finalize the selection by late 2027, with new candidates beginning training by early 2028. This timeline aligns with NASA's plan to return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028, ending an absence of more than half a century.

Bresnik and his crew are scheduled to launch next summer for a mission to practice docking with lunar landers built by SpaceX and Blue Origin. This mission, which will stay close to Earth, serves as a rehearsal for the Artemis IV mission planned for the following year, which aims to land two astronauts near the lunar south pole. Frank Rubio, an Artemis III crew member and holder of the U.S. space endurance record with 371 consecutive days in space, noted that candidates must be U.S. citizens with college degrees and professional experience.

Rubio cautioned that the journey is lengthy, stating, "It's important for them to realize most of that work is not going to the moon, right? That will be about 1% of your experience." The mandatory two-year training period is described as grueling, with additional years potentially required before a flight. This new class will join the lineage that began with the original Mercury Seven in 1959.

What to watch: The final selection process scheduled for late 2027 and the start of training in early 2028.

Editor's note: The article is well-structured and uses the provided source material effectively to cover the key details of the astronaut recruitment drive.