NASA Recruiting: 32 Active Astronauts Struggle to Meet Artemis Demands
Agency opens applications for its 25th astronaut class, aiming to select new crew members by late 2027 to support a permanent lunar base.
By Alina Carter ·
NASA is accepting applications for a new astronaut class as the agency works to expand its lunar program. The announcement came on Saturday at an air show at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where officials also promoted advances in aviation and technology.
The space agency has not recruited new astronauts in two years. More than 8,000 people applied for the previous class, and NASA selected 10 candidates in September 2025. The agency currently has only 32 active astronauts. Randy Bresnik, the commander for Artemis III, told the Associated Press on Saturday that the agency has more work than its current crew can cover.
Prospective candidates have until December 3 to submit their applications. NASA plans to finalize the selection process by the end of 2027. New hires will begin training in early 2028. This timeline aligns with the agency’s goal of returning humans to the lunar surface, a feat not achieved in over 50 years.
Bresnik urged potential applicants not to delay their submissions because people will be on the Moon by that time. He and three other crew members will launch next summer to orbit Earth. Their mission will involve practicing the docking of their capsule with two lunar lander modules. One lander is built by SpaceX and the other by Blue Origin. This flight will serve as a rehearsal for Artemis IV, which is scheduled for the following year and aims to land two astronauts near the lunar south pole.
Frank Rubio, an Artemis III crew member who holds the U.S. record for 371 consecutive days in space, noted that patience is essential for the role. Candidates must be U.S. citizens with university degrees and professional work experience. The mandatory training period lasts two years and is described as exhausting.
Rubio emphasized that the majority of the job involves preparing for the mission rather than traveling to the Moon. He stated that the actual trip to the Moon will account for about 1% of the experience. This upcoming class will be the 25th group of astronauts recruited by NASA since the original Mercury Seven in 1959.
