NASA has opened applications for a new astronaut class as it prepares to expand its Artemis campaign and plans for a sustained human presence on the Moon. Applications are due by December 3, 2026, and the agency expects to announce its selections in late 2027.
The new candidates are expected to begin training in winter 2027–28, according to NASA. Joining the astronaut corps does not guarantee a lunar assignment; candidates will train for a range of missions.
Who can apply
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have a college degree and professional work experience. NASA’s mandatory astronaut training lasts two years, and further time may pass before a candidate is assigned to a spaceflight.
NASA’s previous recruitment drive was in 2024. More than 8,000 people applied, and the agency selected 10 candidates in 2025. The agency has said it needs more astronauts as it works to extend human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
The recruitment follows the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby in April 2026. NASA’s planned Artemis missions include a future crewed return to the lunar surface, with Artemis IV expected to attempt a landing near the Moon’s south pole. The new class is being recruited for the broader astronaut corps, rather than for a specific mission.
Artemis III commander Randy Bresnik said the agency has more work than astronauts available. NASA has urged interested candidates to apply before the December deadline.
Reid Bentley 
Clayton Ward