‘Newest Class of Astronaut Graduates Celebrated, Selection Process Begins for Next Class’

NASA and OPM Welcome New Class of Artemis Astronauts

Washington, D.C. – Today, NASA and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) celebrated the graduation of ten new Artemis astronauts in a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center. These astronauts are now eligible for flight assignments, with NASA also opening applications for the next round of astronaut candidates.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed his excitement, stating, “Our astronaut corps is glad to have new crewmates ready to fly our important missions for the benefit of humanity. We need more people to join our ranks ready to explore near Earth and Artemis missions to the Moon, and ultimately, Mars.”

OPM Director Kiran Ahuja also congratulated the new astronauts, highlighting the streamlined hiring process that OPM implemented in partnership with NASA. Ahuja stated, “OPM is thrilled to continue supporting NASA experts to design and implement their hiring methods.”

Joe Acaba, Chief Astronaut, added, “It’s an incredible time to be an astronaut with a variety of spacecraft to fly and more destinations to explore. I’m honored to welcome these astronauts, congratulate them on their hard work, and look forward to growing our ranks as we help expand humanity’s reach into the solar system.”

Over 12,000 U.S. citizens applied in 2020 to become astronauts in the new class of the “Artemis Generation.” NASA utilized OPM’s tools to evaluate and select finalists, resulting in a more efficient application process.

The recent NASA astronaut class underwent over two years of rigorous training, including spacewalking, robotics, and space station systems. These graduates may be assigned to missions to the International Space Station, commercial space stations, and the Artemis campaign mission to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

In addition to the NASA astronauts, two UAE astronauts also participated in the graduation ceremony after training alongside the candidates for two years.

For more information about the recent astronaut graduates, visit NASA’s website. NASA has officially opened applications for the newest class of astronauts on USAJOBS until April 2. Applicants can apply on USAJOBS to become a NASA astronaut.

This marks an exciting milestone in NASA’s astronaut program as they prepare for future missions and exploration beyond Earth.