NASA has officially introduced its newest astronaut class, known as Group 24, a diverse team of 10 candidates selected to help advance the agency's future exploration goals. The group, announced at a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center on September 23, is notable for being the first in NASA's history to have a female majority and includes a member with prior private spaceflight experience.
These new astronaut candidates will undergo a rigorous two-year training program before becoming eligible for flight assignments. Their future missions could include research aboard commercial space stations or voyages to the Moon as part of the Artemis program, though they face a changing landscape of spaceflight opportunities.
Key Takeaways
- NASA's 24th astronaut class, Group 24, consists of 10 new candidates.
- The class is the first to have more women than men, with six female and four male members.
- One member, Anna Menon, has previous spaceflight experience from the private Polaris Dawn mission.
- The new astronauts face a future with limited flight opportunities as the International Space Station is set to retire in 2030.
Introducing the Newest Astronaut Candidates
The 10 members of Group 24 were selected from a large pool of applicants and represent a variety of professional backgrounds. The cohort includes pilots, scientists, engineers, and medical doctors, continuing NASA's tradition of selecting candidates with diverse and highly specialized skill sets.
During the announcement event, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy referred to the new selections as "our new cast of astronauts." The ceremony highlighted the agency's commitment to pushing the boundaries of human exploration, both in low-Earth orbit and deep space.
What is an Astronaut Class?
Since the Mercury Seven in 1959, NASA has selected its astronauts in groups, or "classes." Group 24 is the 24th such class in the agency's history. This process allows for standardized training and fosters a sense of camaraderie among the candidates who will work and potentially fly together on future missions.
A Class Reflecting Industry Changes
Group 24 stands out for several reasons that reflect shifts in both society and the aerospace industry. For the first time, women outnumber men, with six women selected for the ten-person class. This milestone marks a significant moment in the evolution of the astronaut corps.
Another notable first is the inclusion of Anna Menon, a former SpaceX engineer. Menon is already a space veteran, having flown on the Polaris Dawn private astronaut mission a year prior to her selection by NASA. Her presence in the class underscores the growing collaboration between the government agency and the commercial space sector.
"The inclusion of an astronaut with private spaceflight experience signals a new era where the path to orbit is no longer exclusively through government programs."
An Anecdote of Selection
For planetary scientist Lauren Edgar, the call from NASA was an unexpected surprise. After the designated day for selection calls passed without news, she assumed she had not been chosen for a third time. That evening, a call from an unknown number turned out to be Joe Acaba, NASA's chief astronaut, offering her a position in the class.
"Of course, I said, ‘Absolutely,’” Edgar recounted. Her journey to becoming an astronaut candidate highlights the persistence required. After two previous unsuccessful applications, she continued her work in planetary science, even serving as a geology instructor for the very astronaut classes she had hoped to join.
Lauren Edgar's Path to NASA
- Early Inspiration: Became interested in space after watching a shuttle launch in second grade.
- Experience: Spent 17 years working on Mars rover missions at the U.S. Geological Survey.
- Artemis Connection: Was the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis 3 geology team at the time of her selection.
Future Missions in an Evolving Landscape
Once the members of Group 24 complete their two-year training, they will join the active astronaut corps. However, the missions they will be assigned to are part of a changing portfolio. The International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2030, making it unlikely that many of these new astronauts will fly there.
This reality is compounded by the fact that most members of the previous class, selected in late 2021, are still awaiting their first flight assignments. The pipeline for space missions is becoming increasingly competitive.
Opportunities Beyond the ISS
Future flight opportunities for NASA astronauts will primarily be on two fronts:
- Commercial Space Stations: Private companies are developing successors to the ISS. NASA will purchase services and fly its astronauts to these platforms, but the exact number of available seats is still being determined.
- Artemis Missions: The agency's program to return humans to the Moon offers prestigious assignments. However, even optimistic projections only foresee one Artemis mission per year into the 2030s.
This environment means that patience will be a critical attribute for this new generation of astronauts. Despite the limited number of near-term flight opportunities, the candidates remain optimistic. Edgar stated that she has no specific preference for a mission, noting that "everything in NASA’s portfolio right now sounds pretty exciting." Her focus, like that of her classmates, is on preparing for whatever role the agency needs them to fill, whether it is on a lunar mission she helped plan or conducting research in low-Earth orbit.