# NASA opens astronaut applications for first time in 2 years

> NASA is accepting astronaut applications for the first time since 2024, seeking candidates for missions to the Moon and potentially Mars.
- Title: NASA opens astronaut applications for first time in 2 years
- Summary: NASA is accepting astronaut applications for the first time since 2024, seeking candidates for missions to the Moon and potentially Mars.
- Keywords: nasa, astronaut recruitment, space exploration, moon missions, mars missions, Business Insider
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/nasa-astronaut-applications-mars-moon-2026-11
- Author: Ben Shimkus
- Published: 2026-11-09T17:58:20.178+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nasa, astronaut recruitment, space exploration, moon missions, mars missions, business, technology
## NASA opens astronaut applications
On Saturday, NASA announced it had opened applications for its next astronaut candidate class, the first time since 2024. The agency seeks candidates for missions to the lunar South Pole and potentially Mars.

> 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.
## Strict qualifications required
Applicants must be US citizens with a Master's degree in a STEM field or equivalent background. They need three full years of relevant work experience and must demonstrate technical expertise, leadership, and teamwork.
## Rigorous selection and testing
NASA received over eight thousand applications during its last talent search. Only ten applicants made the cut. Candidates must pass drug tests, background investigations, vision testing, medical and psychiatric exams, and water survival tests.
## Two years of training ahead
Selected candidates will undergo two years of training with irregular hours, an annual salary of one hundred sixty-four thousand three hundred ninety-five dollars, and no remote work option.
## Key takeaway

NASA opened astronaut applications on Saturday for the first time since 2024, seeking candidates for lunar and Mars missions with rigorous qualifications and training requirements.