Overview

• The group was selected from roughly 8,000 applicants and features six women and four men.
• Anna Menon becomes the first incoming NASA astronaut with prior orbital experience after flying on SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn.
• Training at Johnson Space Center will span about two years, covering geology, water survival, space health, and high‑performance jet operations.
• Upon graduation, the candidates will join 48 active NASA astronauts and become eligible for flight assignments, with near‑term lunar tests expected to favor more experienced crews.
• NASA leaders framed the class as part of a push toward sustained Moon missions and eventual trips to Mars as ISS operations wind down and commercial stations take shape in the early 2030s.