NASA Welcomes Most Diverse Astronaut Class Featuring More Women Than Men for Moon, Mars Missions

NASA has announced its newest astronaut class, consisting of 10 candidates selected from over 8,000 applicants, marking the first group since 2021 and featuring more women than men for the first time. This diverse group includes scientists, engineers, test pilots, and medical doctors, such as a geologist involved with the Curiosity Mars rover, a SpaceX engineer with private spaceflight experience, and medical experts specializing in space medicine. Notable members include Imelda Muller, an anesthesiologist and Navy veteran with expertise in bioastronautics, and Erin Overcash, a Navy lieutenant commander and experienced test pilot. The new astronauts will undergo nearly two years of intensive training before becoming eligible for future missions that may include the International Space Station, Artemis lunar landings, and eventual crewed expeditions to Mars. Their selection represents NASA's ongoing commitment to diversity and advanced human space exploration, with some candidates potentially becoming the first humans to step on Mars. This elite group will also help prepare for future commercial space stations as the ISS retires around 2030.