After two years of rigorous training, ten Americans officially became astronauts on Tuesday, making them eligible for future NASA missions to the International Space Station (ISS), the Moon, and potentially Mars.
The graduation ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston also saw the graduation of two Emirati astronauts who trained alongside the American group.
Named “The Flies,” this cohort was selected from 12,000 applicants in 2021. Their extensive training covered spacewalk simulations, robotics, space station systems, and more.
Jim Free, NASA’s Associate Administrator, praised the new graduates, stating, “They are here because they are exceptional. We ask them to sit on the tip of a rocket and risk their lives to advance our country’s goal of exploring the unknown.”
The diverse group includes combat pilots, scientists, engineers, and a physician, representing both military and civilian backgrounds.
Christina Birch, holding a Ph.D. in biological engineering, highlighted the camaraderie of the group, sharing anecdotes such as when, during a survival training in Alabama, they shared the last pack of M&M peanuts when rations ran out.
The United States plans to send astronauts back to the Moon in 2026 as part of the Artemis 3 mission, aiming to establish a permanent presence on our celestial neighbor and apply those lessons to future Mars missions.
NASA has opened applications for its next generation of astronauts, seeking US citizens with degrees in science or technical fields, at least two years of a Ph.D. program, medical qualifications, or pilot school attendance. The annual salary is $152,258, with a warning that remote work is not an option.