NASA recently welcomed a new class of astronauts, selecting ten highly qualified individuals from a pool of over 8,000 applicants. This group includes scientists, engineers, and test pilots who will be key in exploring the moon and even potentially Mars.
In a notable first, the class features more women than men, with six women and four men among the selected candidates. Some notable members of the group include a geologist who contributed to NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover and an engineer from SpaceX who has already experienced space travel as part of a unique private mission last year.
They will undergo two years of rigorous training at Johnson Space Center in Houston before being eligible for spaceflight. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy remarked that one of these astronauts might even be among the first to set foot on Mars. He emphasized the United States’ commitment to leading in space exploration, especially in light of competition, particularly from China.
“It’s an exciting time for our country,” Duffy stated during the announcement. “The future of exploration is bold, and we’ll rely on the talents of these distinguished individuals to maintain our leadership.”
This is the 24th astronaut class since NASA began its selection process in 1959 with the original Mercury Seven. Of the 370 people who have been selected as astronauts, this group will add to the current roster of 41 active astronauts.
NASA’s flight operations director highlighted the stiff competition for these spots, calling the new members “exceptional.” Among them, several are military pilots, including Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann, who received the good news while stuck in traffic and had to pull over to ensure he wasn’t imagining it.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash experienced similar excitement when she got the call and expressed her disbelief: “No way. I mean, yes, of course, but like no way.”
Anna Menon, who has already flown to orbit as part of a SpaceX mission, is also joining the NASA team. She expressed pride in becoming part of this renowned organization, especially with her husband’s recent selection in NASA’s last class.
Lauren Edgar from the U.S. Geological Survey, who has worked on both the Curiosity rover and the Artemis program, shared her enthusiasm, saying, “I am so excited to be officially part of the NASA family.”
This new class of astronauts symbolizes the bright future of America’s space exploration efforts and the nation’s ongoing commitment to leadership in science and technology.
