NASA opened applications for its next astronaut class on November 7, 2026. The recruitment announcement sets a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern on December 3, 2026, with final selection expected in late 2027.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and satisfy the agency’s education, experience, and medical criteria. The standard educational requirement is a master’s degree in an eligible science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field. Specified doctoral study, medical qualifications, and test-pilot education can also satisfy that requirement.
NASA requires at least three years of related professional experience after the qualifying degree. Pilots can meet the experience requirement through defined flight-hour thresholds, including separate provisions for high-performance jets, other fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters.
Candidates must pass NASA’s long-duration astronaut flight physical. The selection process also assesses leadership, teamwork, and communication.
The agency reported 32 active astronauts when it announced the opening. Its previous application round, held in 2024, attracted more than 8,000 applicants and resulted in 10 candidates selected in 2025.
The new recruits will enter astronaut-candidate training. NASA identifies spacewalking, lunar geology, and high-performance aircraft operations among the subjects associated with preparation for future assignments.
