NASA Astronaut Corps

NASA Astronaut Corps. The NASA Astronaut Corps is the unit of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members for U.S. and international space missions. Established in 1959, the corps has been headquartered at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, since 1961. Its members have flown on programs from Project Mercury to the International Space Station, playing central roles in the exploration of space.

History

The corps was created with the selection of the "Mercury Seven" in 1959, a group of military test pilots including Alan Shepard and John Glenn for Project Mercury. This was followed by the "Next Nine" in 1962 for the Gemini program and Apollo program, which included astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Jim Lovell. The Apollo 11 mission, which achieved the first Moon landing, was crewed by corps members. After the conclusion of the Apollo program, the corps transitioned to operating the Space Shuttle, with the first orbital flight, STS-1, crewed by John Young and Robert Crippen. The Challenger and Columbia accidents led to significant safety reforms and pauses in flight operations. Since the retirement of the Shuttle in 2011, corps astronauts have primarily flown to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz spacecraft and, more recently, Crew Dragon vehicles developed under the Commercial Crew Program.

Selection and training

Astronaut candidates are selected through highly competitive NASA Astronaut Selection open to U.S. citizens with advanced degrees in STEM fields or extensive piloting experience. The selection process includes rigorous interviews, medical screenings, and evaluations at Johnson Space Center. Once selected, candidates undergo approximately two years of initial training, which includes instruction on International Space Station systems, spacewalk training in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, robotics training with the Canadarm2, T-38 Talon jet proficiency, and language courses in Russian for international collaboration. This training prepares them for technical assignments and eventual flight assignments on missions to the International Space Station or for the Artemis program.

Astronaut roles and classifications

Within the corps, astronauts are classified into two primary roles: Pilots and Mission Specialist. Pilots, typically former military or test pilots, are responsible for commanding spacecraft and managing flight operations. Mission Specialists are experts in specific spacecraft systems, conduct experiments, and perform spacewalks. A subset, the Payload Specialist, who are not career corps members, may fly for specific research objectives. Leadership within the corps is provided by the Chief of the Astronaut Office, a position historically held by figures like Deke Slayton and currently held by Joseph M. Acaba. Key operational roles include serving as a CAPCOM in Mission Control Center or as the lead for vehicle development under programs like Orion.

Notable astronauts and missions

The corps includes many iconic figures from the early space age, such as Alan Shepard, the first American in space on Freedom 7, and John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth on Friendship 7. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history with the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The Apollo 13 mission, commanded by Jim Lovell, became a famous "successful failure" in spaceflight. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space on STS-7, while Guion Bluford was the first African American astronaut on STS-8. More recently, astronauts like Scott Kelly participated in the landmark year-long mission on the International Space Station to study the effects of microgravity.

Current corps and future directions

As of recent selections, including Group 23, the active corps consists of astronauts training for missions aboard the International Space Station via the Commercial Crew Program with partners like SpaceX and Boeing. The corps is integral to the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface. Astronauts are training for missions involving the Space Launch System, the Orion spacecraft, and the Lunar Gateway. Future selection criteria continue to emphasize expertise in fields like geology and astrobiology to support the goals of sustained lunar exploration and future crewed missions to Mars.

Category:NASA Category:Astronauts Category:Human spaceflight