NASA Opens Applications for Its Next Class of Astronauts

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Updated Nov. 7, 2026, at 7 p.m. Central time / Nov. 8, 1 a.m. UTC.

NASA is accepting applications for its next astronaut class, giving qualified U.S. citizens until Dec. 3 to enter a selection process expected to stretch into next year. The agency says those selected could eventually support missions in Earth orbit and beyond.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Dec. 3, according to NASA's announcement. Selection as a candidate is the start of training, not a promise of a particular mission or a flight to the moon.

Who can apply

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and satisfy education, professional experience and medical requirements. NASA generally requires a master's degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field, though it lists other qualifying pathways, including certain doctoral study, medical degrees and test-pilot training.

The agency also requires at least three years of relevant professional experience or qualifying pilot experience, and candidates must pass NASA's long-duration flight physical. NASA's current announcement explains the alternatives and details; applicants should consult the vacancy announcement before applying.

What happens next

NASA says it expects to select a class in late 2027, with training beginning in early 2028. Its selection timeline describes a review and interview process before final selection. Those dates are projections and may change.

The agency has linked its recruitment to work in low-Earth orbit and its Artemis lunar program. An astronaut class and an individual flight assignment are different things: future destinations depend on training, assignments and mission schedules.

Sources and visual credits

NASA announcement · NASA eligibility · NASA selection timeline · Associated Press.

Hero and thumbnail: conceptual editorial illustration, not a photograph.