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NASA Astronaut Corps

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NASA space suits previously worn by the Astronaut Corps at the Johnson Space Center (center, Pete Conrad's suit worn during the 1969 Apollo 12 mission)
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The NASA Astronaut Corps is a unit of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members for U.S. and international space missions. It is based at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

History

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The first U.S. astronaut candidates were selected by NASA in 1959, for its Project Mercury with the objective of orbiting astronauts around the Earth in single-man capsules. The military services were asked to provide a list of military test pilots who met specific qualifications. After stringent screening, NASA announced its selection of the "Mercury Seven" as its first astronauts. Since then, NASA has selected 22 more groups of astronauts, opening the corps to civilians, scientists, doctors, engineers, and school teachers. As of the 2009 Astronaut Class, 61% of the astronauts selected by NASA have come from military service.[1]

NASA selects candidates from a diverse pool of applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds. From the thousands of applications received, only a few are chosen for the intensive astronaut candidate training program. Including the "Original Seven", 339 candidates have been selected to date.[2]

Organization

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The Astronaut Corps is based at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, although members may be assigned to other locations based on mission requirements, e.g. Soyuz training at Star City, Russia.

The Chief of the Astronaut Office is the most senior leadership position for active astronauts in the Corps. The Chief Astronaut serves as head of the Corps and is the principal adviser to the NASA Administrator on astronaut training and operations. The first Chief Astronaut was Deke Slayton, appointed in 1962. The current Chief Astronaut is Joe Acaba.

Salary

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Salaries for newly hired civilian astronauts are based on the federal government's General Schedule pay scale for grades GS-11 through GS-14. The astronaut's grade is based on the astronaut's academic achievements and experience.[3] Astronauts can be promoted up to grade GS-15.[4] As of 2015, astronauts based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, earn between $66,026 (GS-11 step 1) and $158,700 (GS-15 step 8 and above).[5] As of the new astronaut candidate class announcement of 2024, astronaut candidates will be removed from the GS pay scale and be paid on an AD 'Administratively Determined" scale.

Military astronauts are detailed to the Johnson Space Center and remain on active duty for pay, benefits, leave, and similar military matters.

Qualifications

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There are no age restrictions for the NASA Astronaut Corps. Astronaut candidates have ranged between the ages of 26 and 46, with the average age being 34. Candidates must be U.S. citizens to apply for the program.

There are three broad categories of qualifications: education, work experience, and medical.[6]

Candidates must have a master's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics.[7] The degree must be followed by at least two to three years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience (graduate work or studies) or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience, such as a doctoral degree (which counts as the two years experience). Teaching experience, including experience at the K–12 levels, is considered to be qualifying experience.

Candidates must have the ability to pass the NASA long-duration space flight physical, which includes the following specific requirements:

  • Distant and near visual acuity: Must be correctable to 20/20, each eye separately (corrective lenses such as glasses are allowed)
  • The refractive surgical procedures of the eye, PRK and LASIK, are allowed, providing at least 1 year has passed since the date of the procedure with no permanent adverse after effects.
  • Blood pressure not to exceed 140/90 measured in a sitting position
  • Standing height between 62 and 75 inches

Members

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See also: Astronaut ranks and positions

Active astronauts

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As of October 2024, the corps has 47 "active" astronauts consisting of 20 women and 27 men[8] The highest number of active astronauts at one time was in 2000 when there were 149.[9] All of the current astronaut corps are from the classes of 1996 (Group 16) or later.

Missions in italics are scheduled and subject to change.

Astronaut Missions Group Days in Space
Nichole Ayers SpaceX Crew-10 23 (2021) 0
Michael Barratt Soyuz TMA-14 (Expedition 19/20), STS-133, SpaceX Crew-8 (Expedition 70/71/72) 18 (2000) 446.64
Kayla Barron SpaceX Crew-3 (Expedition 66/67) 22 (2017) 176.11
Marcos Berríos None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Christina Birch None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Eric Boe STS-126, STS-133 18 (2000) 28.65
Stephen Bowen STS-126, STS-132, STS-133, SpaceX Crew-6 (Expedition 68/69) 18 (2000) 226.36
Randolph Bresnik STS-129, Soyuz MS-05 (Expedition 52/53) 19 (2004) 149.51
Deniz Burnham None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Zena Cardman None, awaiting assignment 22 (2017) 0
Raja Chari SpaceX Crew-3 (Expedition 66/67) 22 (2017) 176.11
Luke Delaney None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Matthew Dominick SpaceX Crew-8 (Expedition 70/71/72) 22 (2017) 235.15
Andre Douglas None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Tracy Caldwell Dyson STS-118, Soyuz TMA-18 (Expedition 23/24), Soyuz MS-25 (Expedition 70/71) 17 (1998) 372.77
Jeanette Epps SpaceX Crew-8 (Expedition 70/71/72) 20 (2009) 235.15
Michael Fincke Soyuz TMA-4 (Expedition 9), Soyuz TMA-13 (Expedition 18), STS-134, Boeing Starliner-1 16 (1996) 381.63
Victor Glover SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65), Artemis II 21 (2013) 167.27
Nick Hague Soyuz MS-10, Soyuz MS-12 (Expedition 59/60), SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 72) 21 (2013) Currently in space
Jack Hathaway None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Bob Hines SpaceX Crew-4 (Expedition 67/68) 22 (2017) 170.54
Warren Hoburg SpaceX Crew-6 (Expedition 68/69) 22 (2017) 185.95
Jonny Kim Soyuz MS-27 22 (2017) 0
Christina Koch Soyuz MS-12/Soyuz MS-13 (Expedition 59/60/61), Artemis II 21 (2013) 328.58
Kjell Lindgren Soyuz TMA-17M (Expedition 44/45), SpaceX Crew-4 (Expedition 67/68) 20 (2009) 312.22
Nicole Aunapu Mann SpaceX Crew-5 (Expedition 68) 21 (2013) 157.42
K. Megan McArthur STS-125, SpaceX Crew-2 (Expedition 65/66) 18 (2000) 212.64
Anne McClain Soyuz MS-11 (Expedition 58/59), SpaceX Crew-10 21 (2013) 203.64
Jessica Meir Soyuz MS-15 (Expedition 61/62) 21 (2013) 204.64
Anil Menon None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Jasmin Moghbeli SpaceX Crew-7 (Expedition 69/70) 22 (2017) 199.10
Andrew Morgan Soyuz MS-13/Soyuz MS-15 (Expedition 60/61/62) 21 (2013) 271.53
Loral O'Hara Soyuz MS-24 (Expedition 69/70) 22 (2017) 203.65
Donald Pettit STS-113/Soyuz TMA-1 (Expedition 6), STS-126, Soyuz TMA-03M (Expedition 30/31), Soyuz MS-26 (Expedition 71/72) 16 (1996) Currently in space
Kathleen Rubins Soyuz MS-01 (Expedition 48/49), Soyuz MS-17 (Expedition 63/64) 20 (2009) 300.06
Frank Rubio Soyuz MS-22/Soyuz MS-23 (Expedition 67/68/69) 22 (2017) 370.89
Scott Tingle Soyuz MS-07 (Expedition 54/55), Boeing Starliner-1 20 (2009) 168.22
Mark Vande Hei Soyuz MS-06 (Expedition 53/54), Soyuz MS-18/Soyuz MS-19 (Expedition 64/65/66) 20 (2009) 523.37
Shannon Walker Soyuz TMA-19 (Expedition 24/25), SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65) 19 (2004) 330.57
Jessica Watkins SpaceX Crew-4 (Expedition 67/68) 22 (2017) 170.54
Douglas Wheelock STS-120, Soyuz TMA-19 (Expedition 24/25) 17 (1998) 178.40
Barry Wilmore STS-129, Soyuz TMA-14M (Expedition 41/42), Boe-CFT/SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 71/72) 18 (2000) Currently in space
Stephanie Wilson STS-121, STS-120, STS-131 16 (1996) 42.99
Christopher Williams None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0
Sunita Williams STS-116/STS-117 (Expedition 14/15), Soyuz TMA-05M (Expedition 32/33), Boe-CFT/SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 71/72) 17 (1998) Currently in space
Reid Wiseman Soyuz TMA-13M (Expedition 40/41), Artemis II 20 (2009) 165.33
Jessica Wittner None, awaiting assignment 23 (2021) 0

There are currently[citation needed] 19 "international active astronauts", "who are assigned to duties at the Johnson Space Center",[10] who were selected by their home agency to train as part of a NASA Astronaut Group and serve alongside their NASA counterparts. While the international astronauts, Payload Specialists, and Spaceflight Participants go through training with the NASA Astronaut Corps, they are not considered members of the corps.

Management astronauts

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As of October 2024, the corps has 12 "management" astronauts, who remain NASA employees but are no longer eligible for flight assignment. The management astronauts included personnel chosen to join the corps as early as 1987 (Group 12) and as recently as 2009 (Group 20).[11]

Astronaut Center Assignment Group
Yvonne Cagle Ames Research Center Fordham University visiting professor 16 (1996)
Ken Bowersox NASA Headquarters Associate Administrator for Space Operations 12 (1987)
Alvin Drew NASA Headquarters 18 (2000)
Pamela Melroy NASA Headquarters Deputy Administrator 15 (1994)
Joseph Acaba Johnson Space Center Chief of the Astronaut Office 19 (2004)
Richard Arnold Johnson Space Center CAPCOM 19 (2004)
Serena Auñón-Chancellor Johnson Space Center Medical branch / CAPCOM 20 (2009)
Timothy Creamer Johnson Space Center Flight director 17 (1998)
James Kelly Johnson Space Center CAPCOM 16 (1996)
Richard Linnehan Johnson Space Center Exploration and Integration branches 14 (1992)
Stanley Love Johnson Space Center Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office 17 (1998)
Lee Morin Johnson Space Center Exploration branch 16 (1996)

Astronaut candidates

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The term "Astronaut Candidate" (informally "ASCAN"[12]) refers to individuals who have been selected by NASA as candidates for the NASA Astronaut Corps and are currently undergoing a candidacy training program at the Johnson Space Center. The most recent class of astronaut candidates was selected in 2021.[13]

Only three astronaut candidates have resigned before completing training: Brian O'Leary and Anthony Llewellyn, both from the 1967 Selection Group, and Robb Kulin of the 2017 group. O'Leary resigned in April 1968 after additional Apollo missions were cancelled, Llewellyn resigned in August 1968 after failing to qualify as a jet pilot, and Kulin resigned in August 2018 for unspecified personal reasons.[14] Another astronaut candidate, Stephen Thorne, died in an airplane accident before he could finish astronaut training.[15]

Former members

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Selection as an astronaut candidate and subsequent promotion to astronaut does not guarantee the individual will eventually fly in space. Some have voluntarily resigned or been medically disqualified after becoming astronauts before being selected for flights.

Civilian candidates are expected to remain with the corps for at least five years after initial training; military candidates are assigned for specific tours. After these time limits, members of the Astronaut Corps may resign or retire at any time.

Three members of the Astronaut Corps (Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger B. Chaffee) were killed during a ground test accident while preparing for the Apollo 1 mission. Eleven were killed during spaceflight, on Space Shuttle missions STS-51-L and STS-107.[note 1] Another four (Elliot See, Charles Bassett, Theodore Freeman, and Clifton Williams) were killed in T-38 plane crashes during training for space flight during the Gemini and Apollo programs. Another was killed in a 1967 automobile accident, and another died in a 1991 commercial airliner crash while traveling on NASA business.

Two members of the corps have been involuntarily dismissed: Lisa Nowak and William Oefelein. Both were returned to service with the US Navy.

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Selection groups

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  • 1959 Group 1 – "The Mercury Seven"
  • 1962 Group 2 – "The New Nine"
  • 1963 Group 3 – "The Fourteen"
  • 1965 Group 4 – "The Scientists"
  • 1966 Group 5 – "The Original 19"
  • 1967 Group 6 – "The Excess Eleven (XS-11)"
  • 1969 Group 7 – USAF MOL Transfer, no official nickname (Astronauts selected from the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program)
  • 1978 Group 8 – "Thirty-Five New Guys (TFNG)" (class included first female candidates)
  • 1980 Group 9 – "19+80"
  • 1984 Group 10 – "The Maggots"
  • 1985 Group 11 – no official nickname
  • 1987 Group 12 – "The GAFFers"
  • 1990 Group 13 – "The Hairballs"
  • 1992 Group 14 – "The Hogs"
  • 1994 Group 15 – "The Flying Escargot"
  • 1996 Group 16 – "The Sardines" (largest class to date, 35 NASA candidates and nine international astronauts)
  • 1998 Group 17 – "The Penguins"
  • 2000 Group 18 – "The Bugs"
  • 2004 Group 19 – "The Peacocks"
  • 2009 Group 20 – "The Chumps"
  • 2013 Group 21 – "The 8-Balls" (composed of four male and four female candidates; highest percentage of females)
  • 2017 Group 22 – "The Turtles"
  • 2021 Group 23 – "The Flies"

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Three payload specialists were also killed on the two missions, but are not counted here because as payload specialists they were not considered members of the NASA Astronaut Corps.

References

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  1. ^ "Astronauts". nasa.gov. 11 February 2015.
  2. ^ "NASA – Astronaut Selection". Archived from the original on 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  3. ^ NASA – Astronaut Selection Archived 2010-12-24 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Astronaut Job". Scribd.
  5. ^ "Pay & Leave : Salaries & Wages - OPM.gov". U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
  6. ^ "- Astronaut Candidate Program".
  7. ^ Potter, Sean (Feb 11, 2020). "Explorers Wanted: NASA to Hire More Artemis Generation Astronauts". NASA. Retrieved Apr 23, 2021.
  8. ^ "Active Astronauts - NASA".
  9. ^ "How Many Astronauts Does NASA Need? (Dec. 7, 2010)". 7 December 2010.
  10. ^ "Partner Astronauts". NASA. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  11. ^ "Management Astronauts". NASA. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  12. ^ "Breaking News | NASA instroduces its new class of astronauts". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  13. ^ [1] Archived August 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ chron.com/news/nation-world/space/article/2017-NASA-astronaut-candidate-resigning-this-month-13185081.php
  15. ^ Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (November 1986). "Stephen D. Thorne" (PDF). Biographical Data. Houston, Texas: NASA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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