NASA opened applications for its next astronaut-candidate class on November 7, 2026. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and submit completed materials by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 3, 2026. NASA expects to make its final selection in late 2027, according to its recruitment announcement.
A pilot background is one possible route, not a requirement for every applicant. NASA also lists academic and medical qualification paths.
NASA’s qualification routes
A master’s degree in a qualifying science or engineering field is the standard advanced-education route, but NASA lists alternatives. The pilot-hour thresholds also depend on aircraft type. The routes below describe NASA’s education and flight-experience criteria; applicants must also meet the other stated requirements.
| Route | NASA’s stated criteria |
| Standard degree | A master’s degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or computer science. |
| Doctoral study | At least two years of work toward a doctorate in an appropriate field of engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics. |
| Medical qualification | A Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner, or a related medical degree. |
| Test Pilot School | Completion of, or current enrollment in, a nationally recognized Test Pilot School program, with completion by July 2027. If this is the applicant’s only advanced technical degree, a STEM bachelor’s degree is also required. |
| High-performance jets | 750 hours as pilot in command. |
| Other fixed-wing aircraft | 1,500 total flight hours, including 750 as pilot in command. |
| Rotary-wing aircraft | 1,000 total flight hours, including 300 as pilot in command. |
NASA’s standard professional-experience requirement is at least three years of related work after the qualifying degree. The agency also lists pilot experience as an alternative, and says medical residency can count for medical doctors if completed by July 2027. A student-pilot status by itself is not one of the listed flight-hour thresholds.
Applicants must also pass NASA’s long-duration astronaut flight physical and demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. For someone weighing whether to apply, the practical first check is citizenship, followed by the qualifying degree or experience route and its conditions.
What selected candidates could do
NASA says members of the new class could walk on the Moon and live and work at the Moon Base. Those are possible future duties tied to the agency’s lunar plans, not a guaranteed assignment. NASA also says lunar work would help develop systems and operations for eventual crewed missions to Mars.
For background on the agency’s broader lunar strategy, see NeoTeo’s coverage of NASA’s Ignition plan.
NASA’s previous astronaut selection
NASA opened its previous application round in 2024. In 2025, the agency selected 10 candidates from more than 8,000 applications.
