Do you want to be an astronaut? NASA is hiring!

• NASA is looking to hire more astronauts!
• Astronaut candidates will spend approximately two years training in the basic skills required to be an astronaut.
• After completing training, they’ll join the active astronaut corps and become eligible for spaceflight assignment.

NASA published this original story. Edits by EarthSky.

Be an astronaut!

Astronaut requirements have changed with NASA’s goals and missions. Today, to be considered for an astronaut position, applicants must meet the following qualifications:

1. Be a U.S. citizen
2. Have a master’s degree in a STEM field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics, from an accredited institution OR one of the following:
   – Two years of work towards a doctoral program in a related science, technology, engineering or math field
   – Completed Doctor of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine or related medical degree
   – Completion (or current enrollment that will result in completion by June 2025) of a nationally recognized test pilot school program
3. Have a minimum of three years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion OR, for pilots, 1,000 Pilot-in-Command hours with at least 850 of those hours in high performance jet aircraft. For doctors, time in residency can count towards experience and must be completed by June 2025.
4. Be able to successfully complete the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical.

Astronaut candidates must also have skills in leadership, teamwork and communications.

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What are the expectations?

Artemis Generation astronauts will explore and conduct experiments where humans have never been: the lunar South Pole.

NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board reviews the applications and assesses each candidate’s qualifications. The board then invites a small group of the most highly qualified candidates for interviews at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Then, of those interviewed, about half are invited back for second interviews. Finally, from that group, NASA selects the new astronaut candidates. They report for training at Johnson and spend the next two years learning basic astronaut skills like spacewalking, operating the space station, flying T-38 jet planes and controlling a robotic arm.

With NASA’s plans for the future of exploration, new astronauts will fly farther into space than ever before on lunar missions and may be the first humans to fly on to Mars.

Learn more

Do you have questions? Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about becoming an astronaut.

See some of the recent astronaut candidates.

Ready to apply? Click here.

Read more: How astronauts might manage stress on a voyage to Mars

Bottom line: NASA is looking for astronaut applicants. Do you meet the qualifications?