“The Flies” are ready to fly, so NASA is once again in need of some new flyboys (and gals).
On the same day that the space agency welcomed its newest class of astronauts, nicknamed “The Flies,” to its corps, NASA announced it is once again accepting applications for its next group of candidates for flights to the International Space Station, the moon and, ultimately, missions to Mars .
“The breadth and depth of experience this class brings to our space program is nothing short of astonishing,” said Shannon Walker, deputy chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office and “class mother” to the Group 23 astronauts, during their graduation ceremony at the NASA Space Center. Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday (March 5).
“This class has unique and special talents that they bring to NASA,” Walker added. “And in fact, we believe that everyone has a special talent that they can bring to our astronaut corps. And that’s why we’re so excited to announce that we’re taking applications again.”
Related: How do you become an astronaut?
On Tuesday, the 10 members of NASA’s 23rd group of astronauts graduated after successfully completing two years of basic training. The four women and six men each received a silver NASA astronaut pin – a tradition dating back to the original Mercury 7 astronauts – indicating they are now eligible for spaceflight assignments. (They will exchange their silver pins for a gold version after they first enter the room.)
Nichole Ayers, Marcos Berríos, Chris Birch, Deniz Burnham, Luke Delaney, Andre Douglas, Jack Hathaway, Anil Menon, Christopher Williams and Jessica Wittner bring the total number of active members in the Astronaut Office to 48, including the five currently in the space station.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there today to celebrate you,” Expedition 70 flight engineer Loral O’Hara said in a video recorded aboard the space station. “Remember to take a moment to be proud of yourself and how far you’ve come, both as an individual and as a class. I can tell you one thing: the International Space Station is well worth the wait.”
Since April 1959, NASA has chosen a total of 360 Americans for its astronaut corps, and all but three were considered for launch.
“Our astronaut corps puts the ‘human’ in human spaceflight,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of the Johnson Space Center. “Affectionately known as ‘The Flies,’ they have completed their training and are now eligible for flight assignments to the Space Station, the Moon under the Artemis program and Mars.”
Joining the Americans as recent graduates were two members of the second batch of United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronauts, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla, who were undergoing training under an agreement between NASA and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center at “The Flies” and received the same silver pins as their American counterparts. The UAE now has four astronauts qualified to fly on future NASA missions.
“Artemis is the most diverse international space exploration coalition in history, with 36 countries having signed the Artemis Accords,” said Wyche. “I look forward to all you will accomplish and to seeing your giant leaps as we venture to the moon and then on to Mars.”
“The Flies” are the first astronaut class to graduate since NASA began assigning new crews to launch to the moon as part of the Artemis program. In April 2023, NASA named the four astronauts who will fly on Artemis 2, now scheduled for late 2025, the first crewed flight to go around the moon since the Apollo missions more than 50 years ago.
“It’s been almost 60 years since Group 4, which I was a part of, stood on this stage,” said Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17 lunar module pilot and the only geologist to walk on the moon to date. “If we had known what Group 23 would look like, we probably would never have volunteered. It would have been a waste of time.”
“Today, one of the most important milestones has been achieved by this group of outstanding people,” said Schmitt. “It’s on its way to a flight assignment and, as I understand it this morning, a few assignments have already been made.”
As new astronauts, ‘The Flies’ may not be first in line for the next moon landing, but some will likely fill technical roles in support of the first flights, including serving as capcoms (capsule communicators) at Mission Control and overseeing the preparation of the first flights. rockets and spacecraft from missions.
The good news is that they won’t be the “new guys” for long.
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NASA is now recruiting its 24th class of astronauts through April 2.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens capable of long-duration physical spaceflight, including vision correctable to 20/20 in each eye (goggles and LASIK permitted) and able to ride in NASA’s spacecraft and spacesuits to fit.
Applicants must also possess a master’s degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) field; a doctorate in medicine or osteopathic medicine; two years toward a PhD in a related STEM field or be qualified as a test pilot. In addition, they must have at least two years of relevant professional experience or 1,000 hours as a pilot in jet aircraft.
All applicants will complete an online assessment consistent with modern government and industry recruitment practices.
Applications are now being accepted through the federal government’s USAJobs website. The number of people who will be selected has yet to be determined.
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