NASA Opens Astronaut Search to Expand Artemis Moon Program

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Interested in flying to the moon and helping establish a permanent lunar base? NASA is inviting applications for a new astronaut class that will support the continued expansion of the Artemis program.

Agency officials announced the recruitment drive Saturday at an air show at Kennedy Space Center, where lunar exploration took center stage alongside developments in aviation and technology.

NASA last sought astronaut candidates two years ago. More than 8,000 people applied, and 10 were selected in September 2025.

The agency currently has just 32 active astronauts and needs to expand its ranks as it works to extend human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. The Artemis II crew’s lunar flyaround in April marked the start of the campaign.

“We have far more work than we have astronauts,” Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Applicants have until Dec. 3 to submit their materials. NASA expects to announce its final selections by late 2027, with the new astronauts scheduled to begin training in early 2028. That is also the year NASA plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than half a century.

“We’re going to have people on the moon — so don’t delay,” Bresnik said, urging prospective applicants to apply.

Bresnik and his three crewmates are scheduled to launch next summer and practice docking their spacecraft with two lunar landers: one developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the other by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Their mission will remain near Earth rather than fly past the moon, serving as a rehearsal for the following year’s Artemis IV mission, which aims to land two astronauts near the lunar south pole.

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The planned moon base will take shape gradually as NASA and its partners send additional rovers, robots, habitats and power systems to the lunar surface.

Patience is among the essential qualities for anyone pursuing a career as an astronaut, said Artemis III astronaut Frank Rubio, who holds the U.S. record for the longest consecutive spaceflight at 371 days. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens with college degrees and professional experience.

The required training lasts two years and can be demanding. Even after completing it, candidates may wait several more years before earning a chance to launch into space.

“It’s important for them to realize most of that work is not going to the moon, right?” Rubio told the AP. “That will be about 1% of your experience. What you’re doing is contributing to the mission of going to the moon.”

The new group will be NASA’s 25th astronaut class since the original Mercury Seven were chosen in 1959.

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