NASA has introduced its newest astronauts, a group of ten scientists, engineers, and test pilots chosen from over 8,000 applicants to help explore the Moon and possibly Mars. For the first time, this class has more women than men. The new group includes a geologist who worked on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, a SpaceX engineer who flew on a billionaire-sponsored spaceflight, and a former SpaceX launch director. They will undergo two years of training before they are eligible for spaceflight. According to Acting Administrator Sean Duffy, one of them could become the first person to step on Mars.
Only 370 people ever selected
This is NASA's 24th astronaut class since the original Mercury Seven debuted in 1959. The last class was in 2021. With only 370 people ever selected as NASA astronauts, it remains an elite group, traditionally composed mostly of men. The latest additions, announced at a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, will join the 41 active US astronauts currently in the corps.
Norm Knight, NASA's flight operations director, noted the stiff competition and called the newcomers "distinguished" and "exceptional".
First U.S. astronauts
The first U.S. astronauts were selected in 1959 from a list of military personnel who met specific qualifications. After a rigorous screening process, NASA chose seven men, all pilots, as the first American astronauts. Since the "Original Seven," NASA has selected 23 more groups of astronauts with backgrounds that include test pilots, engineers, medical professionals, and geologists. From the thousands of applications received, only a few are chosen for the intensive Astronaut Candidate training program.
Meanwhile, Amit Kshatriya, a distinguished Indian-American, has been appointed as NASA's new associate administrator. The U.S. space agency announced that this position is "exploration-focused." Kshatriya brings two decades of experience at NASA to his new role. Prior to this promotion, he served as the deputy in charge of the Moon to Mars Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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