The space agency said that to apply to become an astronaut, applicants must be U.S. citizens with two years of work in toward a doctoral after already obtaining a master's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics from an accredited institution.

Details are at https://www.usajobs.gov/job/779261100.

Qualifications are reviewed and assessed by NASA's Astronaut Selection Board, which invites only a small group "of the most highly qualified" applicants for a first round of interviews at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

And of that group, only about half are brought back for a second round of interviews.

Then, if applicants make it past the second round, they will report back to Houston to begin training in "basic astronaut skills," such as space station systems and operations, flying T-38 jets, robotics and walking in space.

The goal is to make them eligible for future missions to the International Space Station, the moon or commercial space endeavors. Missions to Mars are possible sometime in the 2030s, NASA has said.

At Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday, the latest astronaut graduates -- selected from more than 12,000 potential U.S. candidates -- advanced to the next stage of their space careers. They are now are eligible for future space assignments, but will continue training until their day comes.

Two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates trained and graduated with the new class in what is a longstanding tradition of international space partnerships and cooperation.

The United States also has international agreements with Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, and other countries in Europe who select an astronauts to fly aboard the International Space Station.

For the selection process for U.S. astronauts, narrowing down the field from thousands to 10 candidates "is really difficult," according to April Jordan, NASA's manager of astronaut selection.

For more than 60 years, astronauts -- who age in range from 26 to 46 -- have been traveling to space. Many have lived there for extended periods on he space station since 2000.

NASA's Artemis program intends to land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon, adding to the list of only 12 people who ever walked on it and total of 24 humans who circled it.

A crewed landing could occur in late 2026, barring delays by contractors that include SpaceX and given that funding remains sufficient. The last crewed mission to the moon was in 1972.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain emphasized in a recruiting video the importance of family and having "a strong support system," summarizing service to "our country and our planet by testing, developing, investigating and flying."

"Our selection approach is a holistic one," Jordan said in the video. Diversity, agency officials stressed, also is a key factor in astronaut selection.

For example, in 2022 Jessica Watkins became only the fifth Black woman to fly into space and the first to serve on an extended International Space Station mission.

"Astronauts don't just come from one walk of life or one educational or career path," Watkins said. "They're multifaceted experiences have given them a strong sense of purpose, made them adaptable and exposed them to work with people that are different from them giving them strong teammate skills."

Jordan said a NASA podcast how a diverse class of astronauts "is really what helps us be successful for the NASA missions that they take on," adding that astronauts tend to be NASA's public face at times and that the space agency seeks candidates who "look at the group and see themselves reflected back in that."

"So it's really important that we look at what are all the different pieces that people are bringing into the job to create a really successful team that's going to come together and do great things for our agency," Jordan said.

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