When NASA’s 2,025 astronaut candidates arrived at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston this fall, they made history, sharing a common mission: to master the skills and teamwork that will define NASA’s next era of exploration.
Selected from a pool of more than 8,000 applicants, the new class represents a range of diverse backgrounds – military test pilots, engineers, doctors and scientists – but all have been inspired by moments in their lives that set them on a path to space.
They will spend nearly two years in training before becoming eligible for missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon and eventually Mars. Upon graduation, they will join NASA’s active astronaut corps, advancing science aboard the International Space Station and supporting the Artemis missions that will take human exploration further than ever before.
When announcing the course to Johnson on September 22, 2025, center director Vanessa Wyche celebrated the moment as a milestone for exploration.
“Today is an exciting day for our nation and for all humanity as we introduce NASA’s astronaut candidates for 2025 – the next generation who will help us explore the Moon, Mars and beyond,” Wyche said. “Each of these candidates brings unique experiences and perspectives that reflect the diversity of America and the spirit of exploration that defines NASA.”
Behind their new blue flight suits lie years of preparation and stories as varied as the missions they will one day support.
Different roads towards the same horizon
Some candidates built their careers in the air, where precision, communication and teamwork were part of each mission. Rebecca Lawler, a former US Navy pilot and test pilot, says that’s exactly what attracted her to NASA.
“All these people come from different disciplines and levels of expertise, and you all work together to make science fly,” she said. “That’s what I’m most passionate about: bringing these experiences together as a team.”
Imelda Muller, an anesthesiologist and former U.S. Navy submarine medic, said her experience supporting experimental diving teams taught her how people from different backgrounds can come together on the same mission, something she sees reflected at NASA.
Muller remembers looking up at the night sky as a child, able to see almost all the stars on a clear day. Her grandfather worked on the Apollo program and shared stories with her. She says the mix of stargazing and imagination on these missions inspired her dream of becoming an astronaut.
Anna Menon, a biomedical engineer and former flight controller, has seen the human side of spaceflight from the ground and from space. She supported the health of astronauts aboard the space station from the Mission Control Center in Houston and served as a mission specialist and physician aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission.
Anna Menon
Astronaut candidate
A native of Houston, she discovered her passion for exploring in fourth grade during a field trip to Johnson. “This experience made me want to be part of the space industry,” she said.
The language of human spaceflight
For test pilots, including Adam Fuhrmann, Cameron Jones, Ben Bailey and Erin Overcash, flight testing taught the adaptability, composure and discipline needed to make quick decisions when it matters most. As Fuhrmann said, it’s about knowing when to lead and when to listen.
Adam Fuhrman
Astronaut candidate
Each astronaut candidate will spend nearly two years learning spacecraft systems, practicing spacewalks at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, flying T-38 jets, and studying geology, robotics and survival training.
As U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer and helicopter test pilot Ben Bailey said, it’s not one skill that matters most, it’s the combination.
“Each one is exciting in its own right – flying, taking language classes, spacewalking – but being able to do them all together, as a crew, is the best part,” Bailey said.
During the event, current astronauts welcomed the new class and shared tips from their own human spaceflight journeys. “Luckily, you will have some of the most talented and passionate instructors here at NASA, as well as an incredibly dedicated team,” said NASA astronaut Chris Williams. “Some of the most special moments will come when you discover how much you will learn from each other.”
From the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman encouraged contestants to “learn everything you can, know yourself and enjoy the journey.”
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim then chimed in with a reminder that every explorer perpetuates: “The people sitting next to you will now become friends for life.”
Golden Age Explorers
From geologist Lauren Edgar, who worked on the Curiosity Mars Rover and the Artemis III science team, to engineers like Yuri Kubo, who completed seven internships at NASA, and Katherine Spies, who designed and tested flight systems that made exploration possible, each brings a layer of expertise to the agency’s future on the Moon and beyond.
Yuri Kubo
Astronaut candidate
A new era begins
At the announcement ceremony, Norm Knight, NASA’s director of flight operations, said: “Every lesson learned on the station has paved the way for our next destination: to the Moon, this time to stay, and to Mars. We have a group of individuals who are not only exceptional, but who will be an inspiration to the United States of America and to our planet.”
Together, the astronaut candidates reflect the spirit of Artemis: curiosity, courage, and lifelong learning as humanity prepares for its next giant leap.
