NASA has opened applications for a new astronaut class as it works to expand the Artemis program, the agency announced Saturday during an air show at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event promoted lunar exploration along with advances in aviation and technology, according to CT Insider. Aspiring astronauts have until Dec. 3 to apply.
The announcement marks NASA's first call for new astronauts in two years. During the previous recruitment round, more than 8,000 people applied and 10 were chosen, with that group finalized in September 2025, CT Insider reports.
Why it matters
NASA currently has just 32 active astronauts, a number the agency says is insufficient for its plans to extend human presence beyond low-Earth orbit as quickly as possible. The Artemis campaign began with April's lunar flyaround by the Artemis II crew, and NASA intends to return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028 — more than half a century after the last crewed landing.
Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik described the staffing gap plainly in comments to The Associated Press on Saturday. "We have far more work than we have astronauts," he said, as reported by CT Insider.
The shortage matters beyond the moon itself. NASA has framed Artemis as a stepping stone toward a permanent lunar base, and the agency is pitching the program as a way to advance aviation and technology more broadly. Each new astronaut class feeds directly into that pipeline, and the two-year gap since the last recruitment drive means this round will be the main source of new personnel for the missions ahead.
A tight timeline from application to training
The application window is short. Candidates have roughly four weeks from the announcement to submit their materials, with the deadline set for Dec. 3.
NASA expects to finalize its selections by late 2027. The chosen candidates would then begin training by early 2028 — the same year the agency aims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface. That schedule leaves little slack: the people selected in late 2027 will be in training as the return mission is slated to fly.
The compressed timeline also reflects how the agency is sequencing its lunar campaign. The Artemis II flyaround in April served as the opening step, and subsequent missions depend on having enough trained crew available to staff them. With only 32 active astronauts on the roster, the new class is intended to widen that pool rather than replace departing personnel.
What NASA is asking for
The announcement came at an air show rather than through a standalone press event, a setting NASA used to tie lunar exploration to broader advances in flight and technology. The agency has not released detailed eligibility criteria in the reporting summarized here, but the application period is now open and runs through Dec. 3.
For anyone weighing an application, the practical arithmetic is worth noting: the last cycle drew more than 8,000 applicants for 10 slots. This round will be judged against the same selective standard, and the final group will not be named until late 2027.
Watch for NASA's selection announcement in late 2027 and the start of candidate training in early 2028, the same year the agency plans its crewed return to the lunar surface.
