NASA seeks astronauts for possible future Moon missions
The US space agency is opening a new selection process for candidates who may take part in future Moon missions.
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NASA is seeking a new cohort of astronauts for future missions to the Moon and, in the longer term, Mars. The organisation expects to complete the selection of candidates by the end of 2027.
NASA announced on Monday that it wants to recruit new astronauts. The selected candidates will receive training for spaceflight, but there is no guarantee that they will actually fly to the Moon.
According to NASA, the astronauts could be deployed on missions involving people walking on the Moon, testing systems and developing procedures. The organisation links this work to a long-term programme that must ultimately support crewed missions to Mars.
The announcement concerns a selection process, not a new Moon landing. NASA has given no specific date for when this new group might leave for the Moon. Nor has it yet been decided which candidates will ultimately be assigned to a mission.
The US space agency says that, alongside technical and scientific tasks, astronauts must be able to work in prolonged and hazardous conditions. The selection is therefore part of preparations for a new generation of crewed spaceflights.
For now, the scientific significance lies mainly in the preparation. The candidates could contribute to research, maintenance and the testing of systems beyond Earth, but the actual results will depend on the missions that are later approved and carried out.
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The selection process and the candidates' possible role are based on NASA's own announcement. The text clearly distinguishes between plans and completed missions.
- confirmed NASA is seeking a new cohort of astronauts. — This is the core of NASA's announcement. source
- confirmed NASA expects to complete the selection by the end of 2027. — NOS mentions this timetable in its news report. source
- confirmed The selection does not guarantee a Moon flight. — This follows from the source, which refers to possible future deployment rather than assigned flights. source