NASA will announce the first class of astronauts in four years who could one day be eligible for missions to the moon and Mars.

The new selection of NASA astronauts will spend two years in training before becoming eligible for flight assignments.

The furlough plan targets the agency's workforce of more than 15,000 civil servants. That includes 2,317 employees - or about 15 percent - at the Houston-based Johnson Space Center. The Johnson Space Center employees included in the furlough cover about 73 percent of the total Houston-based workforce.

The space agency has been grappling with budget uncertainties and a talent exodus even before the shutdown. But NASA’s moon program has remained largely untouched.

HOUSTON — NASA has introduced its new class of astronaut candidates, some of whom may be among the first people to set foot on Mars. The cadre — the 24th astronaut class in NASA's history, and the first new one since 2021 — was announced today (Sept. 22) during a ceremony here at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

NASA furloughed more than 15,000 employees when the federal government shut down Wednesday, but mission control operations continue in Houston.

These are the new astronauts who could be the first on Mars. NASA announced Monday (Sep 22) that they have selected ten new space candidates in its 2025 class. The space agency explained that there was a competitive selection process to choose from more ...

Menon's classmates in the 2025 NASA astronaut candidate class — the 24th in the agency's history, and its first since 2021 — are Ben Bailey, Lauren Edgar, Adam Fuhrmann, Cameron Jones, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, Imelda Muller, Erin Overcash and Katherine Spies. You can learn more about each of them in our announcement story.

NASA has announced the retirement of test pilot and astronaut Butch Wilmore after 25 successful years of service and flights aboard four different spacecraft. Wilmore, a veteran pilot and graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, has logged 464 days in ...