NASA has opened applications for its astronaut corps as it prepares for missions to the moon and beyond. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at who is eligible to join the corps and what kind of training future astronauts will have to undergo.
Applications will remain open until Dec. 3, with NASA expecting to make its final selection in late 2027. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Future astronaut candidates will undergo training in spacewalking, lunar geology and the operation of high-performance aircraft, among other areas.
Applicants must hold a master’s degree in an eligible STEM field, such as engineering, biological science, physical science or computer science. Certain advanced medical degrees, doctoral programs and test-pilot school programs also qualify. Candidates must have at least three years of relevant professional experience after completing their degree, although pilots can meet this requirement through specified flight-hour thresholds.
«The people we select could walk on the moon, live and work at the moon base and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars. Those missions will demand technical excellence, sound judgment, teamwork, and courage,» NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said.
NASA currently has 32 active astronauts in its corps. The agency last opened applications in 2024, attracting more than 8,000 applicants. In 2025, NASA selected 10 candidates from that pool, and they are now completing nearly two years of training. Since the 1960s, NASA has selected 370 people to train as astronaut candidates.
