NASA is hiring astronauts who could go to the moon and prepare the agency for mission to Mars

NASA is looking for its next batch of astronauts.

The agency announced Saturday that it's accepting astronaut applications through Dec. 3.

"This is an extraordinary time to join NASA's astronaut corps," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. "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."

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Since the 1960s, NASA has selected 370 people to train as astronaut candidates. These individuals are based at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they complete two years of training before being assigned to missions. NASA most recentlyselected 10 candidates from more than 8,000 applicants in 2025.

The agency expects to select its next class of astronaut candidates in late 2027.

Those interested in applying must be a U.S. citizen and have a master's degree in a STEM field. The master's requirement can also be met if applicants have completed a medical degree, two years in a STEM doctoral program or test pilot school.

Applicants also need three years of professional experience after earning their degrees. They will need to pass a long-duration astronaut flight physical, too.

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This article originally published at NASA is hiring astronauts who could go to the moon and prepare the agency for mission to Mars .