NASA is recruiting select astronauts for one of the most exclusive gigs on Earth. Well, technically, off this planet.
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For anyone looking to live among the cosmos, NASA is offering a golden opportunity: a chance to "live and work" on the Moon.
"This is an extraordinary time to join NASA's astronaut corps," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "The people we select could walk on the Moon, live and work at the Moon Base, and help pioneer the systems and operations that will ultimately carry crews to Mars. Those missions will demand technical excellence, sound judgment, teamwork, and courage.
He continued, "NASA's astronaut corps has always called on remarkable Americans willing to take on extraordinary challenges in service to the nation. If you are ready to join that tradition, come help write the next chapter of humanity's greatest adventure."
Applications for the position are now open, and the space agency expects to select its next crop of astronauts by late 2027.
"For those who apply, becoming a NASA astronaut is more than a career opportunity," said Scott Tingle, chief astronaut and chair of the Astronaut Selection Board at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "It is a chance to join a legacy of explorers who have pushed the boundaries of discovery. [To] play a role in the missions that will shape humanity's future in space. The next generation of astronaut candidates could help write history while inspiring future scientists, engineers, and explorers."
NASA only has 32 active astronauts, so those selected for the lunar missions will join an exclusive group.
NASA Wants to Return to the Moon Before 2030
Establishing camps once felt far-fetched, like something that occurs only in sci-fi films. Now, NASA is knocking on the door of a historic chapter in space exploration.
The space agency is investing roughly $93 billion to establish a permanent Moon base, according to UniladTech.com.
"NASA is committed to achieving the near?'impossible once again, to return to the Moon before the end of President Trump's term, build a Moon base, establish an enduring presence, and do the other things needed to ensure American leadership in space. This is why it is essential we leave an event like Ignition with complete alignment on the national imperative that is our collective mission. The clock is running in this great?'power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, not years," Isaacman said in March.
