NASA is recruiting astronauts whose future assignments could include extended stays on the Moon, operating surface equipment and helping build a planned lunar base. Applications close on December 3, 2026, with selected candidates expected to be announced in late 2027, according to The Guardian.
The recruitment supports the next stages of Artemis, NASA’s program to return Americans to the lunar surface and gradually build the infrastructure for a longer-term human presence. Those plans include a permanent lunar base. The agency needs people who can operate surface equipment, conduct scientific research and work in extreme conditions, not just make the trip.
The work extends beyond the Moon, too. According to NASA, newly selected astronauts could help develop the systems and operations needed for future crewed missions to Mars. That gives this generation a more complex set of responsibilities than its predecessors had.
NASA’s requirements are strict: applicants must be US citizens. They also need at least a master’s degree in a natural science, technology, engineering or computer science field. Certain qualifications or training can substitute for the master’s degree: at least two years of doctoral study in a suitable technical or natural science field; a medical, osteopathic medical or specified advanced healthcare qualification; or completion of a recognized test-pilot training program.
Applicants also need at least three years of relevant professional experience. Pilots can meet the experience requirement through specified flight-hour thresholds, including at least 750 hours as pilot in command of high-performance jet aircraft.
Academic credentials and flight hours aren’t the whole checklist. Candidates must pass NASA’s medical examination for long-duration spaceflight and demonstrate leadership, communication and teamwork skills. These requirements apply alongside the technical qualifications, not instead of them.
Selected candidates could begin training in late 2027 or early 2028 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The roughly two-year program covers spacewalks, spacecraft operation, handling robotic equipment and lunar surface operations.
Competition is expected to be fierce. More than 8,000 people applied in NASA’s previous recruitment round, announced in 2024. The agency ultimately selected ten candidates, five men and five women, who began astronaut training in September 2025. Applicants seeking a place in the next class have until December 3, 2026, to apply.
