NASA has introduced 10 new astronauts who may one day travel to the Moon or even Mars.
The group, chosen from more than 8,000 applicants across the United States, was revealed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will begin two years of training to prepare for future space missions starting in 2025.
The new astronauts include six women and four men. Among them are test pilots, scientists and engineers. Some already have space experience, like one engineer who joined a SpaceX flight and took part in the first private spacewalk. Another is a geologist who worked on the Curiosity rover mission to Mars.
This is NASA’s 24th astronaut class since the first group was announced in 1959. That first group, known as the Mercury Seven, were all military test pilots.
Over the next two years, the candidates will learn important skills such as spacewalking, operating spacecraft, and how to stay healthy and safe in space.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said he was proud to welcome the new group. He called them “dreamers from every corner of this nation” and praised their determination to reach for the stars.
