NASA seeks new astronauts, with applications open until 3 December

NASA, the US space agency, said on 7 November that it had opened applications for its next class of astronauts. The deadline is 23:59 US Eastern time on Thursday, 3 December, which is 06:59 on 4 December in Riga. Only US citizens are eligible, so Latvian citizens without US citizenship cannot take part.

The new astronauts will train to operate on the lunar surface, to live and work beyond Earth and to prepare for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA expects to make its final selection in late 2027, after which training will begin.

Who can apply

The basic requirements are US citizenship and a master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, biological science, physical science or computer science. The master’s degree can be replaced by at least two years of doctoral study in a technical field, a medical degree, or a recognised test pilot school programme completed by July 2027.

Candidates also need at least three years of related professional experience after their qualifying degree. Pilots can meet this with flight time, for example 750 hours as pilot in command of high-performance jets. Applicants must pass NASA’s long-duration flight physical and show leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

How to apply

Applications are submitted through USAJOBS, the US government jobs portal, which is linked from NASA’s page on becoming an astronaut. When NASA last opened applications, in 2024, it received more than 8,000 and selected 10 candidates in 2025.

NASA has selected 370 people as astronaut candidates since the 1960s, and its active corps has 32 astronauts. “This is an extraordinary time to join NASA’s astronaut corps,” said Jared Isaacman, the NASA administrator.