{
  "id": 19194533,
  "title": "NASA is recruiting new astronauts. Here are the qualifications.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/nasa-is-recruiting-new-astronauts-here-are-the-qualifications",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-09T18:56:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-hiring-astronaut-applications-requirements-moon/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NASA is actively seeking new astronauts for missions to the moon, inviting U.S. citizens to apply before the deadline of midnight ET on December 3. The role comes with an annual salary of $164,395 and requires relocation to Houston, where recruits will work at the Johnson Space Center. While open to all citizens, applicants must meet strict educational criteria and possess specialized experience.\n\nTo be considered, candidates must fit into one of four educational profiles: a master’s degree in a relevant field, two years of doctoral coursework, a qualifying medical degree, or a recognized test pilot school completion by July 2027. Additionally, applicants must select a discipline based on their work experience, including pilots, flight test professionals, medical personnel, physical scientists, engineers, or those with operations experience in high-consequence environments.\n\nBeyond education and experience, applicants must pass medical and psychiatric exams, undergo vision tests, and pass background checks and drug screenings. They must also be physically capable of performing heavy lifting and working in challenging conditions, including living and working in remote, isolated, and confined spaces for extended periods. Applicants must be willing to spend 12 months or more in space, accepting extreme isolation and separation from loved ones.",
  "summary": "The space agency is recruiting its next class of astronauts as the U.S. plans a new mission to the moon. Here's the kind of person NASA is looking for.",
  "key_points": [
    "NASA recruiting new astronauts for lunar missions",
    "Applicants must hold master’s degree or equivalent qualifications",
    "Candidates undergo rigorous medical, psychiatric, and background checks"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}