So You Wanna Be an Astronaut?

Note: this article was also published on SciFi4Me.com.

It’s the final frontier, and it’s calling for you. NASA just announced a goal to expand on their current 47 active American astronauts, and will soon be recruiting.

According to a press release on NASA’s website, the agency will begin accepting applications for the next round of potential astronauts on December 14, with the deadline in mid-February 2016, and the announcement of candidates in mid-2017.

“This is an exciting time to be a part of America’s human space flight program,” states Brian Kelly, director of Flight Operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, in the press release. “NASA has taken the next step in the evolution of our nation’s human spaceflight program – and our U.S. astronauts will be at the forefront of these new and challenging space flight missions. We encourage all qualified applicants to learn more about the opportunities for astronauts at NASA and apply to join our flight operations team.”

The astronauts may be used on the International Space Station, the Orion deep-space spacecraft, or on the two commercial crews in partnership with Boeing and SpaceX. The new recruits will be a seventh member to each crew, continuing the work to expand our knowledge of space and the technologies that get us there. It will also include missions that are geared towards the goal of getting to Mars.

Candidates need a bachelor’s in engineering, biological science, physical science, or math, with an advanced degree preferable. You also need to have had a minimum of three years of related experience or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in an aircraft. And, of course, you must pass their physical.

Applications will be available on the USAjobs.gov website, and more information about the requirements about becoming a NASA astronaut can be found at NASA’s website.