Are you looking for a new job and OK with a work commute of 140 million miles?
On Saturday, NASA announced that it had opened applications for its next astronaut candidate class — the first time the space agency has accepted applications for prospective astronauts since 2024.
The agency said it will help usher in the “Golden Age of innovation and exploration,” including missions to the lunar South Pole and, potentially, the red planet.
“The people we select could walk on the Moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars,” Jared Isaacman, the agency’s administrator, said in a press release.
The bar is high: Applicants must be a US citizen with a completed Master’s degree in a STEM field — or an equivalent background, such as medical degrees, doctoral work, or test-pilot training. They also need three full years of relevant work experience.
“NASA seeks astronaut candidates who represent the best of American ingenuity, skill, and determination,” Anna Schneider, NASA’s Public Affairs Specialist, said in a statement. “They must demonstrate strong technical expertise, operational judgment, leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to perform demanding missions safely and effectively.”
NASA said it received over 8,000 applications during its last talent search. Only 10 applicants made the cut.
Successful applicants must pass drug tests, a background security investigation, vision testing, and other medical and psychiatric exams. They’ll also need to pass a water survival test and be willing to spend long stretches in hazardous and confined spaces.
They’ll get two years of training — and will be subject to “irregular hours,” receive an annual salary of $164,395, and can’t work remotely.
The agency expects to announce its new class in late 2027.
If you’re planning on applying, godspeed.
