NASA space suits previously worn by the Astronaut Corps at the Johnson Space Center (center, Pete Conrad's suit worn during the 1969 Apollo 12 mission)
The first U.S. astronaut candidates were selected by NASA in 1959, for its Project Mercury with the objective of orbiting astronauts around the Earth in single-man capsules. The military services were asked to provide a list of military test pilots who met specific qualifications. After stringent screening, NASA announced its selection of the "Mercury Seven" as its first astronauts. Since then, NASA has selected 22 more groups of astronauts, opening the corps to civilians, scientists, doctors, engineers, and school teachers. As of the 2009 Astronaut Class, 61% of the astronauts selected by NASA have come from military service.[1]
NASA selects candidates from a diverse pool of applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds. From the thousands of applications received, only a few are chosen for the intensive astronaut candidate training program. Including the "Original Seven", 339 candidates have been selected to date.[2]
The Astronaut Corps is based at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, although members may be assigned to other locations based on mission requirements, e.g. Soyuz training at Star City, Russia.
The Chief of the Astronaut Office is the most senior leadership position for active astronauts in the Corps. The Chief Astronaut serves as head of the Corps and is the principal adviser to the NASA Administrator on astronaut training and operations. The first Chief Astronaut was Deke Slayton, appointed in 1962. The current Chief Astronaut is Joe Acaba.
Salary
Salaries for newly hired civilian astronauts are based on the federal government's General Schedule pay scale for grades GS-11 through GS-14. The astronaut's grade is based on the astronaut's academic achievements and experience.[3] Astronauts can be promoted up to grade GS-15.[4] As of 2015, astronauts based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, earn between $66,026 (GS-11 step 1) and $158,700 (GS-15 step 8 and above).[5] As of the new astronaut candidate class announcement of 2024, astronaut candidates will be removed from the GS pay scale and be paid on an AD 'Administratively Determined" scale.
Military astronauts are detailed to the Johnson Space Center and remain on active duty for pay, benefits, leave, and similar military matters.
There are no age restrictions for the NASA Astronaut Corps. Astronaut candidates have ranged between the ages of 26 and 46, with the average age being 34. Candidates must be U.S. citizens to apply for the program.
There are three broad categories of qualifications: education, work experience, and medical.[6]
Candidates must have a master's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics.[7] The degree must be followed by at least two to three years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience (graduate work or studies) or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience, such as a doctoral degree (which counts as the two years experience). Teaching experience, including experience at the K–12 levels, is considered to be qualifying experience.
Candidates must have the ability to pass the NASA long-duration space flight physical, which includes the following specific requirements:
Distant and near visual acuity: Must be correctable to 20/20, each eye separately (corrective lenses such as glasses are allowed)
The refractive surgical procedures of the eye, PRK and LASIK, are allowed, providing at least 1 year has passed since the date of the procedure with no permanent adverse after effects.
Blood pressure not to exceed 140/90 measured in a sitting position
As of October2024[update], the corps has 47 "active" astronauts consisting of 20 women and 27 men[8] The highest number of active astronauts at one time was in 2000 when there were 149.[9] All of the current astronaut corps are from the classes of 1996 (Group 16) or later.
Missions in italics are scheduled and subject to change.
There are currently[citation needed] 19 "international active astronauts", "who are assigned to duties at the Johnson Space Center",[10] who were selected by their home agency to train as part of a NASA Astronaut Group and serve alongside their NASA counterparts. While the international astronauts, Payload Specialists, and Spaceflight Participants go through training with the NASA Astronaut Corps, they are not considered members of the corps.
Management astronauts
As of October2024[update], the corps has 12 "management" astronauts, who remain NASA employees but are no longer eligible for flight assignment. The management astronauts included personnel chosen to join the corps as early as 1987 (Group 12) and as recently as 2009 (Group 20).[11]
The term "Astronaut Candidate" (informally "ASCAN"[12]) refers to individuals who have been selected by NASA as candidates for the NASA Astronaut Corps and are currently undergoing a candidacy training program at the Johnson Space Center. The most recent class of astronaut candidates was selected in 2021.[13]
Only three astronaut candidates have resigned before completing training: Brian O'Leary and Anthony Llewellyn, both from the 1967 Selection Group, and Robb Kulin of the 2017 group. O'Leary resigned in April 1968 after additional Apollo missions were cancelled, Llewellyn resigned in August 1968 after failing to qualify as a jet pilot, and Kulin resigned in August 2018 for unspecified personal reasons.[14] Another astronaut candidate, Stephen Thorne, died in an airplane accident before he could finish astronaut training.[15]
Former members
Selection as an astronaut candidate and subsequent promotion to astronaut does not guarantee the individual will eventually fly in space. Some have voluntarily resigned or been medically disqualified after becoming astronauts before being selected for flights.
Civilian candidates are expected to remain with the corps for at least five years after initial training; military candidates are assigned for specific tours. After these time limits, members of the Astronaut Corps may resign or retire at any time.
Three payload specialists were also killed on the two missions, but are not counted here because as payload specialists they were not considered members of the NASA Astronaut Corps.
– Soyuz MS-09 (Expedition 56/57)
